Dental Sealants in Aurora
The chewing surfaces of back teeth are full of tiny pits and grooves. A sealant is a thin coating that smooths them over so food and plaque have fewer places to hide.
The short answer
Dental sealants are a thin plastic coating painted onto the chewing surfaces of back teeth to help keep decay out of their deep grooves. At Aurora Gateway Dental in Aurora, sealants are placed without needles or drilling, often soon after a child's molars come in. Your dentist checks each tooth first to see if it is a good candidate.
- Visits
- One visit, often with a checkup
- Timeline
- A few minutes per tooth
- Comfort
- No freezing or drilling needed
- Coverage
- CDCP lists sealants; many insurance plans cover them for children
- Dentist
- Our dentists
At a glance
What it is
Look closely at a back tooth and you will see a landscape of ridges and valleys. Some of those grooves are narrower than a single toothbrush bristle. Plaque settles into them, and the bacteria turn sugar into acid right where brushing cannot reach. That is why so many cavities in children start on the chewing surfaces of molars.
A tooth sealant is a liquid resin that flows into those grooves and then hardens. Once set, it forms a smooth, thin shield over the biting surface. It does not change how the tooth looks much. Some sealants are clear and others are white or lightly tinted, which makes them easier to check at future visits.
Timing matters. First adult molars usually arrive around age six, and second molars around age twelve. Sealing them soon after they fully come through protects them during the years when cavities most often start. Sealants for kids are the most common use, but teens and some adults with deep grooves and no fillings on those teeth may benefit too.
A sealant is not a substitute for brushing with fluoride toothpaste or for regular checkups. Think of it as one more layer. If your dentist sees a very early, shallow spot of decay, they may still place a sealant over it to seal it off, then watch that tooth at each visit.
Is it right for me?
- Your child's first or second adult molars have recently come in.
- Your child's back teeth have deep, sticky grooves that catch the tip of an explorer.
- There is a history of cavities in your child's baby teeth.
- Brushing the back teeth is a daily struggle in your house.
- You are a teen or adult with deep grooves and no fillings on those teeth.
Step by step
- Check the toothYour dentist looks at the grooves and makes sure there is no cavity that needs a filling instead.
- Clean and dryThe chewing surface is cleaned. Cotton rolls or a small cheek holder keep the tooth dry, which is the most important part for a good seal.
- Prepare the surfaceA mild gel is placed for a few seconds to slightly roughen the enamel, then rinsed off and dried again. This helps the sealant grip.
- Paint and setThe sealant is brushed into the grooves and hardened with a blue curing light. Children often enjoy watching the light.
- Bite checkWe check the bite and smooth any extra material. Your child can eat and drink as usual right afterwards.
How it compares
| Question | Sealant | Fluoride treatment | Filling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Shields grooves before decay starts | Strengthens all tooth surfaces | Repairs a cavity that has formed |
| Drilling | No | No | Usually |
| Area covered | Chewing surface of back teeth | Whole mouth | Only the damaged spot |
| Needs checking | At each checkup | Repeated as advised | At each checkup |
General information. Your dentist will explain what applies to you.
Benefits and risks
Benefits
- Seals the part of the tooth where most children's cavities begin.
- No needle and no drilling, which makes it an easy early visit for many kids.
- Quick to place, often during a checkup appointment.
- Can be repaired or reapplied if a piece wears away.
Risks and limits
- Sealants only cover the chewing surface. They do not protect the sides of teeth or the spaces between them.
- If the tooth gets wet while the sealant is placed, it may not bond well and can come loose.
- Sealants wear down or chip over time and need to be checked and sometimes replaced.
- Very young or anxious children may find it hard to keep still long enough, so we go at their pace.
Cost and coverage
Sealants are charged per tooth, so the total depends on how many back teeth your dentist recommends sealing. We follow the Ontario Dental Association fee guide. Many insurance plans cover sealants for children, often on certain molars and up to a set age, while coverage for adults is less common. The Canadian Dental Care Plan lists sealants under preventive services, and we accept CDCP for both children and adults, as well as IFHP. We bill your plan directly. If you have no coverage, ask about our in-house dental plan. We tell you the cost before any sealant is placed.
What shapes your estimate
- How many teeth are being sealed
- Whether an exam is done at the same visit
- Whether any tooth needs a small filling instead
- Your plan's rules on which teeth and ages it covers for sealants
Read more about insurance and payment, the Canadian Dental Care Plan and IFHP coverage.
After your visit
- Eating and drinking can go back to normal straight away.
- Avoid chewing ice, hard candy or pen caps, which can chip the sealant.
- Keep brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and cleaning between the teeth.
- If your child says a tooth feels rough or a piece has come off, let us know at the next visit or sooner.
Questions
At what age should my child get sealants?
There is no single age. Many children have their first adult molars sealed around six or seven and their second molars around twelve or thirteen, once the teeth are fully in. Your dentist will watch for the right time at checkups.
Can baby teeth get sealants?
Sometimes. If a child's baby molars have deep grooves and the child is prone to cavities, your dentist may suggest sealing them. Most of the time, sealants are used on adult molars.
How long do sealants last?
Sealants often last for several years, but they can wear or chip. We check them at each visit and add more material if part has worn away.
Will my child feel anything?
Most children feel only the cotton, the air and the cool liquid. The gel can taste sour for a moment. There is no needle, so the cheek and tongue are not numb afterwards.
Can a sealant go over a cavity?
A sealant can be placed over a very small, early spot of decay to seal it off, and your dentist will watch it. A true cavity needs a filling.
Are sealants covered by the Canadian Dental Care Plan?
Sealants are listed among the preventive services under CDCP for eligible people. Plan rules can change, so we check your coverage before the visit and bill CDCP directly.
Reviewed by the dentists at Aurora Gateway Dental Care. Last updated October 29, 2026. This page is general information, not personal medical advice.
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676 Wellington Street East, Unit 3
Aurora, ON L4G 0K3