Fissure sealants provide effective prevention against decay Naturally, through eating and drinking, bacteria known as plaque begins to build up on your teeth. Foods that are high in sugar cause the bacteria to turn the sugar into acids, which can harm the enamel on your teeth. Exposing your teeth to these acids over a long period of time can cause the surface of your teeth to decay. Most commonly, decay will begin to present itself on the chewing surfaces of the teeth at the back of your mouth. These teeth see most of the ‘action’ when chewing and have small grooves on the surface, called fissures that trap bacteria and food debris. These fissures can be very hard to keep clean as a regular toothbrush is not able to reach between the grooves. Fissure sealants are a great solution to seal these grooves and prevent decay from spreading throughout the teeth. How do fissure sealants work? Fissure sealants are made from a resin based material and are applied to the areas that have visible and potential fissure grooves. The sealant will run down into the fissures, sealing them and preventing bacteria and debris from entering. The fissure sealant process Fissure sealants are very easy to apply and can be completed in one appointment here at Beresford Dental – The Smile Pros. Initially, the teeth that are receiving the sealants will need to be thoroughly cleaned to ensure that there is no bacteria or plaque present when applying the sealant. The fissure sealant is then applied and a curing light is used to harden the material. Once the sealant has hardened, it will blend with the tooth and provide a barrier of protection against harmful bacteria and acid attack. Are fissure sealants permanent? Although fissure sealants are applied directly to the tooth, they do not last forever. However, they should last for several years before needing to be replaced. When attending regular dental check-ups, one of our Smile Pros can assess the condition of the fissure sealants and ensure that any sealants that are worn out are replaced immediately. Fissure sealants generally hold up very well to regular wear, however, just like your natural tooth surface, chewing on hard foods and food high in sugar content can damage the fissure sealants prematurely. Who should be receiving fissure sealants? As fissure sealants work best as a preventive measure against decay, it is best to receive fissure sealants at an early age, as soon as the adult teeth have fully erupted. It is a preventive measure and is not used to restore severely decayed teeth but can be applied at an early age to softened tooth structure slowing down the decay process in young teeth. Fissure Sealants at Beresford Dental – The Smile Pros in Mermaid Waters, Gold Coast The friendly team at Beresford Dental – The Smile Pros are committed to providing the very best service and care for patients of all ages. If you would like to know more about fissure sealants, contact us today! Don’t forget to share this via Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and LinkedIn.