Fissures are grooves usually found in the chewing surfaces of back teeth, they are difficult to keep clean and as a result there is more risk of decay.

Fissures can be sealed with tough protective plastic, this is runny at first but sets hard. These sealants may be see-through or tooth-coloured and are normally only used for children’s permanent teeth. They protect teeth from decay and can last for years. However, if they do fall out or wear out, they can normally be replaced if there is no decay underneath.

We will discuss with you whether your child needs sealants. If they do, you will have to agree which teeth need to be sealed. When deciding whether your child needs sealants a number of factors are taken into consideration; the shape of each tooth, how much your child's teeth have already decayed and your child's general health.

When applying a sealant we will clean the tooth thoroughly with a rotating brush or rubber polisher, dry the tooth and keep it dry by putting cotton wool round it and using suction.

We then dab a mild acid on the tooth and leave it for a short time to make its surface rough (this will not hurt at all).

We then wash and dry the tooth by blowing water and then air onto it and then paint the plastic onto the fissures. The plastic is now hardened by pointing a bright light at it.

We make final checks to ensure that the tooth is comfortable to bite on and then the sealant is trimmed if necessary.