Today, thanks to the developments in modern dentistry, protecting teeth from decay has become much easier. One of the most effective applications for protecting against tooth decay is Fissure Sealants.
The chewing surfaces of teeth are indented. These pits and peaks are called pits and fissures. These areas are quite narrow and are usually where decay begins because food gets stuck and cannot be cleaned. A special fluid filling material is used to prevent food and microorganism accumulation in these areas and thus decay.
Generally, 6-year-old teeth (1st molars) in children erupt between the ages of 5 and 7. 2nd molars (12-year-old teeth) begin to appear in the mouth between the ages of 11-14. Studies show that 90% of tooth decay starts in small, deep and narrow indentations (pits and fissures) on the chewing surfaces of the molars. Since the tooth enamel is not fully calcified (matured) when the teeth first erupt, newly erupted teeth are generally more vulnerable to decay and prone to decay. The ideal time to apply Fissure Sealants is the first months after these teeth erupt. In addition, your child's first teeth, the milk teeth, can be protected against decay with Fissure Sealants.
If the decay has progressed to the dentin region, which is the lower layer of the enamel, a protective restoration may be more appropriate for your child's oral and dental health than a Fissure Sealant. It should not be forgotten that tooth decay progresses very quickly, especially in children, or rather in young teeth that have just erupted. For this reason, it is very important to apply Fissure Sealants without wasting time.
Fissure Sealant applications are a painless and extremely easy procedure. Only in cases where there is a high saliva flow, nausea reflex and the mouth is opened less than desired, the application can become difficult. Children's fear of the dentist is a well-known situation. Children's fear of the dentist can be significantly reduced with Fissure Sealant applications. With this application, the Pedodontist-Child-Family (Pedodontic Triangle) relationship can also be maximized.
Application
Before starting this painless procedure, it is necessary to make sure that the indentations on the surface where the sealant will be applied are completely clean and bacteria are removed. For this purpose, your teeth are brushed, cleaned and dried by your dentist with a special solution. The enamel layer on the top of the tooth is roughened with a gel and adhesive (bonding) is applied, after it is hardened with light, the fissure sealant is filled with a brush and hardened with light again. It is checked for height and a protective polish is applied. All these processes take about 3-5 minutes and your child does not feel any pain during the process. After the Fissure Sealant application, your child can eat and drink something immediately if they want.
It is a very cheap, painless and effective protective treatment.
Durability
Fissure sealants can wear out over time, however, it has been proven by studies that 85-90% of them remain on the teeth even after years. Teeth grinding and frequent consumption of hard foods can cause Fissure Sealants to break more quickly and fall off the teeth. The better the bond strength of Fissure Sealants to tooth enamel during application, the longer they will last on the tooth. The most effective factor in the ideal Fissure Sealant application is your child's compliance.
Despite everything, if the Fissure Sealant falls out, your child's tooth is much more resistant to decay than a tooth that has never had a Fissure Sealant applied before. If the Fissure Sealant is noticed and reapplied within 6 months after it falls out, protection against decay will continue. Despite all these benefits, if your child does not pay attention to oral hygiene and does not come to routine dentist check-ups, it is almost impossible to protect their teeth from decay.
