What is the history of dental sealants?

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I think you mean sealants to prevent cavities right? When I was about 13 my dentist put them on a few of my back teeth (the deeper ones which he thought were prone to cavities). I am 27 now and have a cavity in most back teeth except for the ones that have the sealants on - would highly recommend for a child - not expensive and they have lasted forever.

Answer

Dental sealants have been in common use for over 30 years, and they have been improved over the years.

It is known that the most likely place for a child to get a cavity is in the small pits and grooves in their back teeth. That is because these small pits and grooves are extremely difficult and sometimes impossible to keep clean. A dental sealant is a plastic coating that fills in the pits and grooves before a cavity occurs without removing any tooth structure as is done when a traditional filling is placed.

While not 100% effective in preventing cavities, sealants can significantly reduce the risk of getting cavities on the back teeth, especially if the child visits their dentist frequently (twice a year) to have worn out or missing sealants replaced.

A sealant must be placed before a cavity appears in the tooth. Once a cavity is diagnosed by the dentist, a traditional filling must be placed.

First answer by ID0000000000. Last edit by HawkeyeDJ. Contributor trust: 144 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 204 [recommend question]