Fissure Sealants

A fissure sealant is made up of a resin (hard plastic) material that is applied to the pits and fissures (grooves) of the premolar and molar teeth.

A single bristle of a toothbrush will be too large to clean the pits and fissures of teeth meaning bacteria will accumulate in these grooves and eventually cause tooth decay.

Process Involved

• The dentist or therapist will determine whether any teeth require a sealant, a filling, or has no decay.
• No injection is required for the placement of a fissure sealant as only the enamel surface is cleaned, this surface has no feeling.
• The pits and fissures of the biting surface of back teeth are cleaned removing early decay; this is to make sure the material will adhere to the  surface of the tooth.
• Once the surface is prepared the material is placed onto the tooth, it is barely noticeable as it blends in with your natural tooth colour (see picture on right). Once placed it becomes a hard material so you can eat and drink as soon as you like.