Fissure Sealants

The back teeth (molars and premolars) can have deep grooves where the toothbrush bristles cannot clean very well and food tends to get stuck in them regularly. Fissure sealants are like “paints” that are placed in these deep grooves on the chewing surfaces of the teeth to protect and prevent the fissures from developing decay. Fissure sealants can be placed at any age, although they are usually placed at around the time the permanent molars erupt at approximately 6-7 years old for the first molars and 12-13 years old for the second molars.