Sealing of fissures

Sealing of fissures – it is a simple and completely painless procedure that allows you to protect the baby’s milk and root teeth from the development of caries. It consists in applying a special paste to the molars and premolars, which fills the natural furrows and prevents plaque from accumulating in them.

Why seal fissures?

Indentations on the surface of chewing teeth are called fissures. They have a tortuous shape and are difficult to clean. As a result, food residues accumulate there and bacteria develop, which eventually leads to caries.

In addition, the enamel of milk teeth and new roots has a low degree of mineralization, which makes them vulnerable to infection. Unfortunately, by the age of 10, many children already develop fissural caries.

You can reduce the risk with the help of sealing. It requires only 1 visit to the doctor, but protects the teeth from decay and nourishes them with fluoride for 1-3 years.

Indications for sealing fissures in children

Children’s dentists recommend taking a child for an examination every six months, starting from 2-3 years of age. This helps to teach the baby to brush his teeth correctly, as well as to carry out all preventive procedures and, if necessary, treatment in a timely manner.

Sealing of fissures is prescribed at different ages. There are indications for the procedure:

• physiological features of fissures are deep and tortuous;
• incomplete mineralization of permanent molars and premolars (on average 2-3 years after tooth eruption);
• the development of a carious spot on the surface of chewing teeth;
• caries on the lateral surface of the teeth (sealing is carried out after treatment and filling);
• genetic predisposition to the development of caries.

Milk molars and premolars are replaced by permanent ones at the age of 6-7 years. It is at this time that fissures are usually sealed.

To prevent the early development of caries, the child should be seen by a dentist. He will assess the shape, depth of the fissures and the condition of the enamel, after which he will determine whether sealing is necessary.

How fissures are sealed?

In the NOWA children’s dentistry department, fissures are sealed using two methods:

1. Non-invasive sealing – a special sealant is applied to the pre-cleaned tooth, which fills the fissures and creates a protective shell on the surface. The procedure is completely painless and does not require anesthesia.
2. Invasive sealing – involves a shallow preparation of the tooth followed by sealing with a sealing gel.

Non-invasive sealing is most often performed on children. Invasive is required for deep or “closed” fissures (conical and drop-shaped), which is more typical for root teeth that have erupted a long time ago. This procedure is often recommended for adults as well.

Stages of fissure sealing

Covering fissures with sealing material is a simple procedure. It can be performed without preparation and the use of anesthesia, which allows you to close all the child’s chewing teeth in 1 session.

The procedure is carried out as follows:

1. With the help of a special brush and paste, the dentist cleans the teeth from plaque and hard deposits, and then dries them with a jet of air.
2. In case of invasive sealing, the tooth is prepared and sealed.
3. Next, a solution is applied to the tooth, which improves the adhesion of tissues to the sealant, and drying is repeated.
4. After that, fissures are filled with glass-inomer cement or composite material.
5. Illuminates them with an ultraviolet lamp, which ensures the hardening of the material.
6. At the end, the doctor checks that the sealing does not cause the patient discomfort, if necessary, removes a small layer of sealant and polishes the tooth.

On average, sealing fissures of 1 tooth takes up to 20 minutes.

Advantages and disadvantages of the procedure

For children, fissures are usually sealed using a non-invasive method. This procedure is painless and does not cause discomfort. Its main advantages are:

• reliable protection of teeth against caries for several years;
• easy cleaning of painters from plaque and food residues;
• no additional load on the tooth or impact on bite formation;
• lower price compared to caries treatment and fillings.

Due to physiological features, chewing teeth in children are exposed to caries in the first place. Sealing of fissures reduces the risk of infection by 50-90%, according to various sources.

As for the disadvantages of sealing, among them it is possible to note only the risk of developing caries under the sealant, if the procedure is performed incorrectly and there is a free space between the material and the surface of the tooth.

In “NOWA”, fissures are sealed by experienced specialists children’s dentists. Thanks to this, as well as the use of high-quality materials and high-precision diagnostic equipment, each patient is guaranteed the highest quality of medical care.

Contraindications to sealing fissures

Despite the fact that fissure sealing has many advantages, in some cases it is not recommended. Relative contraindications to the procedure are considered:

• formation of open, wide and shallow fissures on the teeth;
• development of caries on the tooth itself or adjacent to it;
• congenital hypersensitivity of the teeth;
• allergy to materials used to cover furrows.