Dental Sealants

Dental sealants are a thin resin that is cured over the biting surface of posterior teeth. There is some controversy regarding their efficacy and risks.

The theory that advocates dental sealants suggests that this resin “seals” the deep grooves of posterior teeth, acting as a barrier and protecting enamal from plaque and acids.

The theory against dental sealants is that they violate some fundamental dental restorative principals such as covering up potential demineralized or decayed tooth structure without being removed.  Also, a thin, “fragile,” layer of resin on the biting surface of posterior teeth is vulnerable to leakage and decay.

It has been our clinical observation that sealants tend to hide pathology and make it more difficult to identify tooth decay. Also, we suspect that on occasion, they can increase the rate of decay. Because of this, we do not recommend routine dental sealants.