The first permanent teeth show up when a kid is about 6 years of age.
When the first tooth shows up, the most important thing is to explain to children that these teeth will remain in their mouth as long as they are alive. That is why oral care for the permanent teeth should be a priority while creating healthy habits with the child.
The permanent teeth aren’t less sustainable to caries – each tooth can become covered with caries and cause pain and additional problems even to the nearby teeth. However, with regular checkups with the dentist, early diagnosis of caries and its prevention – further damaging of the teeth can be permanently contained.
One of the methods of prevention of caries is fissure sealing.
Fissure sealing is a specific prophylactic – therapeutic and painless method to protect the permanent teeth from bacteria sticking to their surfaces, thus preventing caries to form on the places that are covered with the sealant.
Most common is the sealing of molars and premolars, their chewing surfaces that have fissures and grooves. These fissures and grooves are risk spots for bacteria deposition because of their depth and the unavailability for the brushes of the tooth brush, despite the regular and excellent oral hygiene. The role of the fissure sealant is to cover and protect the tooth by filling these places and form smooth surface easy to brush and clean.
As soon as the first permanent tooth shows up it is mandatory to get an appointment with your dentist and consult with him/her about the process.
It is important to say; in order for a permanent tooth to be sealed it is necessary for it to be healthy, meaning not to have caries from before. Once the tooth has cavities the dentist will have to clean the cavities while taking out a part of the tooth’s surface.
The positive aspect of fissure sealing is that it allows us to repeat the process without taking any of the tooth surfaces, thus not weakening the tooth.
The first step of this procedure is extra oral checkup to establish whether the tooth is healthy or has caries.
The duration of the sealants is usually a few years. It doesn’t mean that the sealants shouldn’t be revised. A checkup even for the sealed teeth is advised on a specific period, to be sure that the sealant isn’t worn off and is still untacked. If the dentist decides it is necessary – the change or correction of the sealant will take just a few minutes.
Brushing and proper oral hygiene is equally important as it is with the unsealed teeth.
Fissure sealing the permanent teeth is done to prevent formation of caries on the chewing surfaces of permanent teeth – because they are irreplaceable.