the Price of Dental Sealants

I had our dentist put dental sealants on my eight-year-old's permanent back teeth - a total of four. This service took about twenty minutes to a half hour and was a fairly simple proceedure. The $40.00 price listed above is per tooth, not the total for the service.

My family (extended members included) has used the same dentist for over thirty years. When I was a child, dental sealants didn't exist. This advancement is a worthwhile service in my opinion. The sealant is placed on the tooth in the form of a liquid and it seeps down into the cracks of those back teeth. It is then hardened with the use of a special light. The intent is to minimize if not eliminate cavities in the back teeth, where children sometimes have a difficult time brushing and flossing.

While I did think the price per tooth seemed rather steep, when I calculated the cost of filling a cavity combined with the destruction it causes a natural tooth, the sealants seemed worth the cost.

My son has only had one checkup and cleaning since the sealants were put on and I was pleased to learn there were no cavities.

If you decide to get dental sealants for your child, be sure your dentist has experience with this service. While the actual dentist won't perform the service, it wouldn't be worth it if it were an experimental proceedure. Also be sure to follow the directions regarding time lapsing between the sealants being put on and eating, drinking, chewing gum, etc. to make sure you get the most out of your child's sealants.