The most common place of caries in children is in the grooves and pits of the molars, the so-called “molars”. This is due to the fact that the grooves are often thinner than the thread of a toothbrush and have a different depth and shape. Even with the best effort, it is impossible to clean them perfectly.
When sealing, these grooves and pits are filled with a special mass. This will close the groove, allow easy cleaning and thus be able to prevent the appearance of caries on these surfaces.
Milk molars can already be sealed, which are exchanged for permanent teeth only around the baby's 11th year of life. The first permanent teeth suitable for sealing are pruned around the age of 6. They are the first permanent molars, also called “sixes”. People often think of them as milk teeth. They grow behind the last milk molars, which means that before they are pruned, no milk tooth will fall out.
Around the age of 12, the second molar and the intestinal teeth called premolars are cut, which are also worthy of sealing, especially in children at risk of developing caries.
Studies show that sealing the rib system of the chewing surface in children and adolescents reduces the incidence of caries by 76% after 2—3 years after sealing. *
The durability of the applied seal varies and also depends on how the individual eats during the day and how they take care of their teeth in general. At each preventive inspection (every 6 months), the sealing is checked. If necessary, we can re-seal the teeth, thereby restoring the sealing function and prolonging its effect.
* A Report of the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Evidence-based clinical practice guideline for the use of pit-and-fissure sealants In JADA [online] 2016, vol. 147, no.8, p.672-692 [cit.2017-03-06]. Available on the Internet: http://jada.ada.org
