My dentist is trying to talk me into sealants for the kids.$$$

[dizcrazee]

We didn't do it, and my 12 year old dd has never had a cavity. However, we are not a cavity prone family. My hubby has never had a cavity and I've only had one. I don't know if this is a hereditary issue, but it kind of looks like it is in our case. I'm so glad we didn't spend our money on this - we got the hard sell too, and I felt bad at the time for turning it down.

 

[disneygirl1971]

To the OP, I don't know if it's already been mentioned but if you have a dental school in your area check into that. We have one at our local community college. At ours for $12 they do an exam, xrays, flouride, and sealants on the kids. Quite a bargain compared to our dentist. Even if you had to travel a ways to find one you'd still come out way ahead. HTH!

 

[MaryKLady]

Here's a vote FOR sealants.

IMHO...I think sealants, in the long run will save money. I had them as a kid and am now 35 with only 2 cavities. My DH on the other hand didn't have them and has a head full of cavities and a few root canals at 39. Does some of it depend on genetics and hygiene, sure, but I think sealants have a lot to do with the state of my teeth. And no, I am not a dental professional My DD will get them, no doubt...and we don't have dental insurance either so it will be out of pocket.

 

[LoveMyTwoPrincesses]

I am a Dental Hygienist in North Dakota and I am not paid on commission. I strongly believe that sealants are a benefit to our patients with deep grooves and pits on the chewing surfaces of their teeth. The process to have the sealants done is pretty easy. We first clean the grooves on the teeth that are to be sealed. After that the tooth/teeth are isolated to keep them dry for optimal bonding of the sealant. The tooth is dried and then etched to provide retention for the sealant. The sealant material is placed and then cured. It is really a simple process. The sealants just protect the grooves from decay, so it is still important to floss between the teeth!

 

[ceecee]

I am a Dental Hygienist in North Dakota and I am not paid on commission. I strongly believe that sealants are a benefit to our patients with deep grooves and pits on the chewing surfaces of their teeth. The process to have the sealants done is pretty easy. We first clean the grooves on the teeth that are to be sealed. After that the tooth/teeth are isolated to keep them dry for optimal bonding of the sealant. The tooth is dried and then etched to provide retention for the sealant. The sealant material is placed and then cured. It is really a simple process. The sealants just protect the grooves from decay, so it is still important to floss between the teeth!

I agree!!! A lot of insurance companies do cover them (at least once) on permanent molars. I have been in the dental field for over 20 years and recommend them. Some kids have deep grooves that are hard to clean even if they are diligent about it (and most kids aren't) sealing the grooves keep them from decaying. These are teeth that last their lifetime hopefully.

 

[WoodDisney]

It is so worth it. I have 2 kiddos with them and when the next 2 are at the age for them they will get them. Our insurance only covers perminate teeth.

 

[Smiling Cheshire Cat]

I haven't read the whole thread, but sealants were given to kids through the schools here in our area. Not sure if there were qualifications since DS already had his since our insurance paid 100%. He is 13 now and has never had a cavity. I wish I could say his dental hygiene was perfect but that would be lying so I'm a believer in the sealants.

 

[SleepyatDVC]

Hmmm... interesting topic.

Never even heard about sealants or had the dentist recommend it.

I have about 4 cavities over the course of a lifetime. They were filled when I was an early teen. Don't go to the dentist often, but did go last month and everything is ok. DH has maybe 2 total. He has very good teeth and it's been years since he last went.

Just took the girls to the dentist last month. DD11 has one cavity on a baby molar that the dentist is keeping an eye on. It should be coming out within 6-12 months. So as long as it doesn't start bothering her, they won't have to touch it. DD9 has 2 tiny cavities, also on her baby molars. As long as she continues to brush, etc., they won't need to be filled unless something changes. They will keep monitoring them.

They've been to 2 different ped. dentists and no one ever recommended sealants. It hasn't been recommended to me either. Maybe because we really aren't cavity prone?

Now recommendations to get a consultant for braces, that's another story!

 

[JCMHutch]

I would recommend getting a second opinion if you are not sure.

I had sealants put in as a kid when my permanent teeth came in. When I was around 22, I was getting a sharp pain when I ate. I went to a new dentist and found out that the hard top layer of the sealant had worn away and that it was the remaining soft layer getting pulled by food when I ate causing the pain. The dentist removed the remaining sealant and told me that, even though I had deep grooves in my molars, they were smooth so I never needed the sealants to begin with. (That did not make my mother happy, since she had spent a lot of money on them many moons ago).

I can honestly say I don't know if they made a difference in my lack of cavities. I am 36 and have never had a cavity. My sister (33) has never had a cavity either and she never had sealants (she also had naturally straight teeth ). My sealants have been gone for many years now and I still have not had a cavity. (Could be we just have good teeth in my family.)

 

[digitalsiren]

I had mine done as a child. I have no kids yet but if I did I would get them done on their adult teeth as they will hopfully have them for 70 years or so ... a wise investment. If it can help deter future pain and discomfort from cavities and the cost accrued from repairing those, I think it is a wise investment now.

 

[MSSANDRA]

I really thought it was a routine part of all pediatric dental care now a days. I think the dentist mentioned that DS had gotten sealants and to not eat or drink for x amount of time, but never really was asked nor did I question not having it done.

Our insurance covered it.

 

[heatherleigh]

Only get them on permanent teeth. I got my very first cavity at the age of 30, thanks to the sealants that were put on my teeth when I was small! In fact, i wouldn't mind getting them now.

 

[Aristomommy]

Good thread.

I'm in the same boat as the OP. Hard sell for sealants.

Our insurance will only pay for the procedure once in a lifetime. I'm leaning towards waiting for the last of the permanent teeth to come in first. My kids also gag easily, so I'd like them to grow out of that.

With our older one, I waited and she got cavities in those teeth. Then we started using sealant as soon as another tooth came in (during their 6 mo. appointments) and no cavities since then. I would not recommend waiting.

DS has never had a cavity. I attribute this to filling the deep grooves in all his molars so food doesn't trap in there and sealants. Growing up, sealants were not offered and dealing with cavities is painful and more costly than the cost of a sealant.

 

[tinkarooni]

OP I didn't read thru the whole thread, so don't know if this has been mentioned.
but the sealants are best for molars with deep grooves, more prone to cavities.
I am also trying to decide on them.
but not for monetary reasons. our insurance covers them.
our pedi dentist doesn't push them, thank goodness.

but the whole bpa thing bothers me, so i have been researching it

OP here, this concerns me a great deal and was something that never occurred to me, could you share some details?

 

[gillenkl]

Each of my kids had their 4 back teeth sealed - around $50 per tooth as we don't have dental insurance.

 

[diamondpixienc]

Both of my kids have them too. so far so good! Thankfully our Insurance covered them.

 

[Maddie2]

I know completely how you feel, OP. Our new dentist did pretty much the same thing and our insurance does not cover sealants either. I've had that 3rd degree a couple of times and I have decided to go ahead and do the sealants.

We moved to a new town a few years ago and found a new dentist. Our kids had had sealants with our old dentist several years ago (out of pocket; insurance didn't cover then either). We thought we were done with sealants. WRONG! New dentist insists that the old sealants are no good and wants to do them over. Normally most dentists will replace them free of charge if they wear out (up to age 18 or 21), but since our old dentist did them and now we have a new dentist we have to pay all over again.

I did take one of our children back to the old dentist and had him re-do a few sealants (free), but it was a bit awkward and I won't do it again. All this being said, I do think that even though we have to pay all over again ($40/tooth and they each need 6 sealants this year), that it is worth it in the end. Still less $$ than having to fill a few cavities - and less pain/everything all the way around. I have a mouth full of fillings from my childhood and want to do whatever we can to prevent that with our children.

 

[brenalexacamp]

Do it! Think of a molar-where you chew-as an english muffin, with lots of nooks and crannies-bacteria and food stick in those little places and even a toothbrush cannot clean out-so over time you get a cavitiy. a sealant is a piece of cake to put on for the kids-just keep the tooth dry. So when we check the kid's chewing surfaces, instead of falling in the nooks and crannies, we can 'ice skate" across the chewing surface.
If it's not done, then the child needs to have a filling, doesn't last forever-everytime it needs to be redone, more tooth has to be taken away for the new filling. Anesthetic, drilling, ugh. A little prevention now-I know it is costly-but even at 50.00 depending on your area, if you had to pay for a filling- your copay from insurance-you may be at more than 50.00.
You still have to floss-sugar can decay in between the teeth.

 

[surfergirl602]

Wow, I thought sealants were routine. We have had them done for all the kids perm. teeth. They are so close together and very prone to cavities there. Of course I want the extra protection to keep those new teeth cavity free.

 

[dimimi]

Both of our kids have sealants...they are 16 and 12...they have been doing sealants for a long time. We didn't even think about it....all of their friends also have sealants. I don't know why you wouldn't? It's easier than a filling and cheaper. (Although insurance probably would pay for fillings.)