RootAnn Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 I am the type of person who researches stuff to death. I'm the type of person who refused a whole bunch of stuff on my newborns at the hospital because I knew they didn't need it and/or it was harmful. We definitely get the sealants. (No grinding down at all.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 We ended up doing them, but I wasn't thrilled with how much the dentist was insisting (and in fact, we switched dentists because of it). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pehp Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 My dentist drives a Lexus and has a vacation house in Florida, so I sigh every time he suggests something (he can't stand the fact that I've still got my wisdom teeth! he is amazed that my teeth are so white just from Crest Whitestrips and not his 'trays'!), but we do the sealants (only on my son so far, as I think my daughter is too young), though our insurance doesn't cover it. I appreciate the preventative approach, I guess, esp. b/c we seem to have groove-y (ha) teeth (I have always been somewhat cavity-prone). Plus, he has been my dentist since I was about 12 years old and in spite of his luxury vehicles I do trust him. He did a lot of free dental work for my mother when she was alive and didn't have dental insurance, and has done free things for me before such as removing my amalgam fillings and replacing them--totally free, simply b/c he didn't want me to have mercury in my teeth. Plus, he engages in a lot of good-natured back and forth with me over things like x-rays and isn't ever tyrannical about anything. So, I go with the sealants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lotsofpumpkins Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 I have sealants on my molars (done when I was about 12 or 13) and I never had a single cavity.... until..... I was in my late 20s and one of the seals cracked, forcing me to get a filling as if I had a cavity. None of my dc have had any cavities. But even my oldest (14yo) is still working on getting all of her 12yo molars in, so the dentist hasn't brought up the sealants yet. I'm wondering if they will recommend them. Our dentist is pretty conservative about stuff, so I wouldn't be surprised if they said we don't really need to do them. We'll see! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 Finally, I just had a nagging gut reaction about filing down the toughest substance in nature and replacing it with a simple polymer. It just didn't make good sense to me. There should not be any filing or drilling or removal of any kind involved in getting sealants. If a dentist mentions filing in regards to sealants, double-check the spelling on his diploma! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocassie Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 I had them done in my 20's. I have very deep, deep grooves in my molars. DH has never had sealants and never had cavities. While I have pretty good teeth, DH just doesn't have those deep groves like I have. I'm not sure about the kids yet as none of them have gotten in their adult molars. A sealant is better than a filing IMO, but I do know that technology is changing all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicianmom Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 (edited) * Edited May 22, 2022 by musicianmom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zebra Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 I got sealants 20+ years ago as a teen. Something got stuck under one, because I had a huge cavity for the first time in my life months or a year later. It was enormous and formed quickly, which is apparently what happens. The tooth still causes me major problems, and I have had so many problems and fillings since then I wonder if it's all related to those poorly done sealants. My dentist was Steve Martin from Little Shop of Horrors, so it may have been more about him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest2 Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 Although my kids have sealants and I would do it again, I wouldn't necessarily get them if my son hadn't had a cavity at 12. My younger kids are extremely cavity prone...something to do with softer enamel. So for us, it was sealant or cavity . Either way, some permenat dental material was going to stay in their mouths. I would think the dentist should be able to measure and document the molar grooves to some extent, and let you know if they start deepening, but I am just thinking out loud. Maybe they can't. If you and your husband aren't cavity prone, I am not sure if I would do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kroe1 Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 There should not be any filing or drilling or removal of any kind involved in getting sealants. If a dentist mentions filing in regards to sealants, double-check the spelling on his diploma! Poor choice of words on my part. It is actually a chemical etching by using a phosphoric acid cleaning which puts pores in the enamel so that the resin adheres to the tooth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 Poor choice of words on my part. It is actually a chemical etching by using a phosphoric acid cleaning which puts pores in the enamel so that the resin adheres to the tooth. Microscopic pores. I'm sure eating acidic foods like tomato sauce has the same effect, just over a longer period of time. We got the sealants for dd. They work great and there's no downside when they're done by a competent dentist. Even the trace amounts of BPA disappear from the saliva within a few hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicia64 Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 We did them on my boys and they're 12. We also believe in prevention. My dh has major dental issues that are essentially from bad DNA. Finding a dentist that you trust is vital. My point being: when a dental emergency arises, you want to have a great dentist around. Before finding our dentist and orthodontist I interviewed several. I only went w/ those w/ excellent referrals. Alley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erica in OR Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 I guess I will be the one naysayer. There were multiple case studies of sealants failing after about 10 years. This would cause a minute bubble under the sealant material allowing bacteria to flourish increasing the risk of cavities. This risk would go away if the sealant was removed and replaced. This is what my dentist said when I asked him about sealants for my kids' teeth. He doesn't push them. Instead, he said to just keep up with our brushing/flossing/fluoride rinse habits and continue on our schedule of cleaning/check-up every six months. Erica in OR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom2OandE Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 My poor kids have bad teeth especially DS. DS just had two root canals with crowns and 2 fillings at 11/12 years old and he brushes 3x per day! So yes, we then sealed all his teeth. I'm praying this solves the issue. We are out about $6k in dental work. At least they are all straight so hopefully orthodontia will be minimal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 . Finding a dentist that you trust is vital. . :iagree: This is the answer. I had so much major dental work performed on me that I was asking for sealants for my DDs when they just had baby teeth. The dentist explained that their baby teeth were in great shape and he didn't foresee any need for sealants until they got their adult molars. He could have easily humored me and sealed all those little baby molars and pocketed quite a profit. I'm definitely a fan of the sealants as neither DD has had a single cavity whereas DH and I both had a mouth full of fillings by their ages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 ds8 isn't getting them. I got them for the older kids at first, then switched dentists over it. I didn't have any cavities until after my gum surgery when I was 30. Then I had four all at once in less than six months. OP, I used to trust dentists and love visiting them much more than hair dressers or manicurists and lived to need a stronger word than "regret" to describe what a mistake that turned out to be. /tmi 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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