What Are Dental Sealants?

What Are Dental Sealants?- Park Slope Kids Dental Care

You’re constantly playing defense. Your child spends two minutes in the morning and two minutes at night carefully brushing and flossing with a fluoride toothpaste. You make sure sugary and acidic foods are not a major part of your diets. Your child visits our Brooklyn, New York office for regular exams and cleanings. Really, how can a cavity get past all that?

But even with the best defensive practices, you don’t have a level playing field—literally. The tops of our molars and premolars don’t have the smooth, easy-to-clean surfaces that our other teeth have. If you look at the chewing surfaces, you will notice deep grooves which toothbrush bristles have a much harder time reaching.  

Plaque and food particles can become trapped in these grooves (known as pits and fissures), providing perfect conditions for a cavity to develop. That is why cavities are so common in newly erupted molars. Dental sealants protect these teeth from cavities by providing a barrier which smooths out the surface of the tooth and prevents food and bacteria from reaching the molar’s crevices.

Most sealants are invisible plastic resin coatings which we apply in our Brooklyn, New York office. Usually the procedure is so quick and easy that no dental anesthetic is required. Each tooth will be examined first. If we find any signs of early decay, we will gently treat that area before beginning.

When the tooth is ready, it will be cleaned and dried. An etching solution will be brushed on to the dry surface to roughen the area a bit so that the sealant will hold to the tooth more effectively. A thin coat of the sealant is then painted on and hardened under a curing light. And that’s it!

Once teeth are sealed, they should be cleaned and flossed just as carefully as before. Regular exams and cleanings are still very important, and we can monitor the condition of the sealant and the sealed teeth. Properly applied, sealants can last from three to five years, or even longer.

Who should consider sealants? Sealants are typically recommended when the permanent molars first erupt. Children’s enamel takes a while to become its strongest, and so these just-erupted teeth are more at risk for cavities. Sometimes the doctor will recommend sealants for primary (baby) teeth if needed. But even adults can benefit—talk to us if you are interested and we will let you know if sealants might be right for you.

Sealants are a simple, safe, and minimally invasive way to prevent cavities. Studies of sealed molars and premolars show a dramatic reduction in cavities compared to untreated teeth. Sealants are one of the most effective ways to defend your teeth or your children’s teeth from tooth decay. And as we’ve all heard—defense wins championships!

Our Location

150 4th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217 (between Butler St. & Douglas St.)

Hours of Operation

Our Regular Schedule

Park Slope Kids Dental Care

Monday:

2:00 pm-7:00 pm

alternating

Tuesday:

2:00 pm-7:00 pm

Wednesday:

2:00 pm-7:00 pm

Thursday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Friday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Saturday:

9:00 am-2:00 pm

alternating

Sunday:

Closed

  • "My child had the best check-up ever… she even had to have a filling. My daughter didn’t feel any pain and said she really liked Dr Francis!! The office is also great and inviting. Overall a great experience."
    Felicia G.
  • "If you are looking for the perfect place to take your little one for his/her super-important first dental visit, this is the PERFECT FIT! I noticed the new practice that opened up in the neighborhood near where I work, and I’m so glad I gave it a try! Dr. Francis was amazing she made my little guy (he’s 3) feel completely at ease for his first appointment at the dentist. He don’t even cry once! If you knew my kid, you would know that is a major accomplishment! The office is clean and modern with state of the art equipment; totally unexpected for a kids dental office. I have decided to officially make Dr. Francis my munchkin’s dentist! I would definitely recommend the office to other parents and I have already passed the info along to friends and coworkers."
    Melanie M
  • "I have 3-year old twins and we visited Park Slope Kids Dental Care on 3/1 and it was a great experience. Dr. Francis is fantastic and her staff are wonderful. I had to reschedule my appointment at the last minute and they were super accommodating. The office is beautiful and kid-friendly–really. I’ve been to other offices where they claim to be kid-friendly and all I can see that makes it “friendly” are a few books and pint-size chairs. Nicole–mom to C & P (the best gifts ever)"
    Nicole M.
  • "Dr. T Francis at Park Slope Kids Dental Care is great. At our appt yesterday, I hadn’t wanted to let all three to the exam room at once because they would incite a riot, but the doctor said that she welcomed it. She also let my eldest hold instruments during her sisters’ exam. Lovely doctor; great practice."
    Nicole M
  • "I like that this a friendly kids environment dentist office. They make the kids very comfortable and happy smiling teeth. I recommend to every parent who looking for a kid zone dentist office that won’t have your kids screaming their head off."
    Tanya R.
  • "I cannot rave enough about this place! Dr. Francis was amazing and the staff was friendly and professional. The office is clean and modern, with lots of cool activities for kids. I like it that they will accomodate you if you don’t want your kid watching tv! A huge plus in my book! My son is 4 and the exam went off without a hitch. Before we knew it, his teeth were clean, his issues were addressed, and we were out the door with a balloon and a goodie bag! I was dreading this day, but we made it out without my son having a metldown! Dr. Francis is a godsend. This will be his dentist through college!!!!"
    Martien J