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FACTS ABOUT SEALANTS

-SEALANTS are a clear or shaded plastic material applied to the surfaces of molars and premolars where two-thirds of all children's cavities occur.

-SEALANTS should last about five years and can last as long as ten years. Regular dental check-ups are needed to track their effectiveness.

-When combined with daily brushing, flossing, and the use of fluoride, SEALANTS can provide 100 percent protection from tooth decay.

-CHILDREN should have sealants applied to permanent molars as soon as they appear, generally around the age of 5. Sealants can also be applied to baby teeth if PITS and FISSURES or GROOVES are exceptionally deep.

-Applying sealants is a quick, PAINLESS procedure. A liquid plastic is brushed over the tooth surface and allowed to dry, requiring no anesthesia.

-Although twice as many children receive sealants than did only 19 percent of children and adolescents have sealants, according to the National Institute of Dental Research.

-SEALANTS are a bargain when compared to the cost of fillings. Sealing one tooth can range anywhere from $15 to $50. Filling a tooth can cost over twice as much. Since early 1986, many group dental plans have been offering coverage for sealant use.

-The sealant retention rate after one year is 85 percent or better. Many dentists use opaque white as opposed to clear so they can determine if it is cracked, damaged or missing during follow-up visits.

-Sealants can benefit teenagers, even those with slight decay of the tooth. Dentists can open up the pit that is affected(WITH THE USE OF AIR ABRASION), fill it with a tooth-colored filling, and then seal the tooth.

-Sealants that release fluoride are now available. The fluoride allows a tooth to remineralize, or reverse the earliest stages of tooth decay.