What is a sealant?
The most common location for a cavity in a child’s mouth is on the surfaces of the back teeth. Sealants are invisible plastic resin coatings applied to children’s teeth as a preventive measure during the years in which tooth decay is most likely to occur. They smooth out the back surfaces of the teeth, protecting them. Similar to a mini-filling but without the pain or expense. According to The Surgeon General’s report on oral health, sealants provide an extra line of defense against cavities and have been proven to reduce decay by up to 70%.
How is a sealant applied?
Placing a sealant is a painless treatment that does not require numbing or shots. First, the tooth is cleaned, conditioned and dried. Then, the sealant is applied to the tooth in a liquid form that hardens in about a minute. There is no downtime, numbness, soreness or pain. Your child will be able to eat right after the appointment.
How long does a sealant last?
Research shows that sealants can last for many years if properly maintained. It is fairly common to see adults with sealants still intact from their childhood. Most importantly, your child will be protected throughout the most cavity-prone years. Your dentist will check the sealants during routine dental visits and recommend re-application or repair if necessary.
Caring for sealants
Sealed teeth require the same dental hygiene as unsealed teeth. Your child should continue to brush and floss their teeth daily and have regular professional cleanings.
How much does it cost?
The treatment is very affordable and most dental insurance companies cover sealants. Our staff will perform a complimentary insurance benefit check to confirm if your insurance company will cover the cost.
Sealants: small cost, big protection
Sealants are among the most affordable preventive treatments in dentistry, and most insurance plans cover them for children precisely because they prevent expensive problems later. Our team confirms your coverage, and the math is friendly either way: a sealant today costs far less than the filling it prevents.
What parents ask about sealants
How long do they last? Years, and we check them at every visit, touching up as needed. Are they safe? Yes; sealants are a long-established, well-studied protection used on millions of children. Will my child feel anything? Just a painted-on coating and a curing light; most kids find it interesting rather than scary. Which teeth get sealed? The back molars, where deep grooves trap what brushes miss.
Protecting Linden's growing smiles
Childhood molars do decades of chewing. Sealing them early is one of those quiet parenting wins: five easy minutes now, years of protection after. Ask about sealants at your child's next checkup and we will tell you honestly whether the timing is right.
Ask about sealants at your child's next cleaning, or call 908-486-5252 to schedule. Five easy minutes today, years of cavity protection after: parenting wins rarely come this simple.
Sealants through a child's eyes
From the chair, sealants are almost fun: teeth get painted with tooth vitamins, a small blue light does its magic glow, and the whole show finishes before boredom arrives. There are no shots and no drills, which makes sealant visits wonderful confidence-builders for children still deciding how they feel about dentistry. Many parents schedule sealants alongside a cleaning, turning two wins into one easy afternoon.
Five minutes now. Years of protection.
Paint it on. Seal it up. Cavities stay out.
Linden, New Jersey kids get sealed and protected here every week. Yours can too.