Fissure sealants

Your child has permanent teeth which could benefit from the placement of a fissure sealant.

The biting surfaces of back teeth are shaped like "hills and valleys' known as cusps and fissures. Toothbrush bristles are unable to get into the narrow fissures to remove plaque and bacteria which produce acid when sugar is eaten, causing decay.

 To help prevent decay, the fissures are sealed over with a fissure sealant, which is a plastic coating. This means you child's back teeth (molars) will be less likelt to need fillings at a later date

Placing a fissure sealant is a painless procedure as there is no cutting away of tooth tissue - no drilling.

Regular dental care should still be encouraged to provide and maintain oral health.

	The grooves (fissures) in the surface of the back teeth are major sites for dental decay.
	Unfortunately a toothbrush cannot properly clean all the plaque fro these grooves.
	Acids produced in the plaque can cause dental decay.
	These grooves can be protected by a hard plastic coating called a fissure sealant.