My daughter just had her 6-year molars come in and our dentist suggested sealants at her last checkup. Honestly, I didn’t get sealants as a kid, so this was kinda new to me. They put them on right after her cleaning—super quick and she barely noticed. But now I’m wondering, is it normal to do them this early? Did your kids get sealants right after their molars came in or did you wait a bit? Curious what other parents have experienced.
But now I’m wondering, is it normal to do them this early? Did your kids get sealants right after their molars came in or did you wait a bit?
My kiddo got sealants on her 6-year molars pretty much as soon as they were all the way in. Dentist said it’s actually better to do it early, before any cavities have a chance to start. I didn’t have them as a kid either, so it felt a little weird at first, but I guess it’s just more common now. She didn’t even flinch during the process—honestly, I think she was more annoyed about not being able to eat for a bit after.
If your dentist suggested it, sounds like you’re on track. I know some parents who waited, but then their kids ended up with little cavities that could’ve been avoided. It’s one of those “better safe than sorry” things, I guess. Plus, less drama later on if you can avoid fillings, right?
We did sealants as soon as the molars were fully erupted—our dentist was pretty clear it’s ideal to get them on before any decay sets in. I was a little skeptical at first, but after seeing a couple of my patients’ kids develop cavities in those grooves, I get the logic. Curious if anyone’s dentist mentioned how long sealants typically last? Ours said about five years, but I’ve seen some wear off sooner, especially with kids who grind their teeth.
Ours said about five years, but I’ve seen some wear off sooner, especially with kids who grind their teeth.
Yeah, that’s pretty much what I’ve heard too—five years is the “official” line, but in reality it’s kinda all over the place. My youngest is a champ at teeth grinding (seriously, it sounds like she’s chewing gravel in her sleep), and her sealants started fading after just three years. The dentist said it’s not unusual for them to need a touch-up or even a full redo, especially with little grinders or snack monsters.
Honestly, I’d still do them again, though. Way easier than dealing with a filling later on. It’s wild how deep those grooves are on molars... like, you could lose a raisin in there and never see it again. One thing our dentist mentioned is they’ll just check the sealants at every cleaning and reapply if needed—no big drama.
It’s not a forever fix, but it definitely buys some time before cavities try to sneak in.
We did sealants right after my kid’s 6-year molars showed up, too. Dentist didn’t even hesitate—said it’s easier to do them before any food gunk or decay gets in those grooves. I was a little skeptical since I never had them growing up, but honestly, tech’s changed so much since then.
My son’s lasted about four years before we had to patch a couple spots. He’s pretty rough on his teeth (chews ice, bites pencils... classic). Dentist just checked them at each cleaning and handled it if something was chipped or missing. Never seemed like a huge deal.
Honestly, the cost is way less than even a single filling. No complaints here—if anything, I wish my parents had gotten them for me. I’ve got two fillings in those same molars from back in the day.