Visit Route 06
A coating over the grooves before a cavity ever gets the chance.
A thin protective coating applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth, where cavities are most likely to start in a child's mouth.
Chapter 01
The teeth that need this most, and how to tell
Deep grooves on the molars, visible pits on the chewing surface, or a spot that keeps trapping food no matter how carefully your child brushes are the signs worth watching. So is a child who complains of sensitivity more often than seems typical, or one who eats a lot of sugary snacks between meals.
A history of cavities in the family, or in this child specifically, raises the odds further. None of that means treatment is overdue, it means the back teeth are the kind of shape a sealant is built to protect.
A quiet treatment room of the kind prepared for a sealant appointment
Quick, comfortable, and done without drilling
The sealant is applied directly onto the chewing surface of the back teeth, exactly over the grooves and pits where plaque and food would otherwise sit for years without a toothbrush bristle ever reaching in. There is nothing invasive about it and no discomfort during the appointment, which matters as much as the sealant itself when the patient is a child.
Once it is in place it stays for several years, doing the same job the whole time without needing to be reapplied on any predictable schedule.
Chapter 03
What sitting on a groove for years actually costs
A tooth with deep, unsealed pits is decay waiting on the right conditions, sugar, time, and a spot a toothbrush cannot fully clean. A sealant closes that gap before it turns into a cavity that needs a filling, which is the more invasive and more expensive path from the same starting point.
If your child's molars have deep grooves, or they have already had a cavity on a back tooth, ask about sealants at either the Bartlett or Atoka office at their next visit.
Bartlett Pediatric Dentistry, we file the insurance paperwork for you. Call (901) 382-1564.