Dental sealants are a preventive treatment to protect against dental decay and cavities and are usually made of strong plastic resin. It is a protective coating that the dentist will bond into the grooves of the chewing surface of the tooth. It acts as a shield against the harmful bacteria and plaque formation.

Dr. David Guyot usually recommends sealants on the biting surfaces of permanent molars and bicuspids. The sealants are more commonly applied on children's permanent back teeth because children are more vulnerable to dental decay. The back teeth, especially the molars, are more difficult to clean properly while brushing teeth. This may result in the formation of dental plaque on these teeth that may eventually cause a dental cavity.

The same difficulty in brushing happens when a person tries to clean the grooves or pits on the chewing surface of the back teeth. The bristles of the toothbrush may not have access to clean the plaque from the deep fissures. Over a period of time, the accumulated plaque and bacteria may cause dental decay. Therefore, dental sealants are a useful preventive cover against such development of plaque and decay.

Dr. Guyot prefers to use a dental laser process to clean and disinfect the teeth while applying dental sealants. It is a painless method and helps disinfect the teeth into the deepest part of the grooves. The teeth are treated with a very mild acid and the sealant is placed down into the grooves. It is then hardened with an ultra violet light.

From an aesthetics point of view, the good part is that sealants are virtually invisible. There is a very slight light color of the sealant, much like the color of milk. This color ensures that the dentist can review the condition of the sealants during any future dental exam.