Think about resealing a driveway before winter sets in. The cracks are already there, hiding just below the surface, and if you wait until spring to deal with them, water and freezing temperatures have already done their damage. Your molars work the same way. The deep grooves on their chewing surfaces trap food and bacteria no toothbrush can fully reach, and once decay starts in those grooves, it rarely stays small.
At All Smiles Dentistry in Lake Stevens, our family dentistry team offers dental sealants as a preventive option for patients of nearly any age, not just growing kids. If you assumed sealants were something you aged out of once your permanent teeth came in, this page walks through why that is not necessarily the case.
A sealant is a thin, tooth-colored coating applied to the chewing surfaces of back teeth that flows into every pit and fissure and hardens into a smooth, protective layer. Once in place, it works like a driveway sealant, filling in the vulnerable cracks so food and bacteria have nowhere left to settle.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sealants applied soon after molars come in can prevent up to 80 percent of cavities for two years and continue protecting against half of all cavities for up to four years. While that research focuses heavily on children, the same protective mechanism applies to any molar with deep grooves, at any age.
Most people first hear about sealants during childhood, since first and second molars typically come in around ages six and twelve. If your family is new to our practice, we can walk you through what that first visit looks like and whether sealants make sense. But plenty of teens and adults never had sealants placed, or had a filling replace one years ago, and are still dealing with deep grooves that put them at ongoing risk.
If you have a history of cavities forming in the same spot again and again, or if a tooth’s shape has always made it hard to keep clean, sealants may still be worth considering well into adulthood. During your dental exam, our team looks at the shape and wear pattern of each tooth to figure out whether a sealant could help, regardless of your age.
For most patients, applying a sealant is quick and comfortable and typically does not require numbing or drilling. The tooth is usually cleaned and dried, then a mild solution helps the sealant material bond to the enamel before it is painted on and hardened in place with a special light. Most patients can have several molars sealed in a single visit, and you can generally eat and drink normally right afterward, as there is no anesthetic wearing off and nothing to recover from.
Once a sealant is in place, it sits flush against the tooth and blends with your natural enamel, so you typically don't feel it with your tongue or notice it when you smile or talk. A few habits can help sealants last as long as possible once they are on:
Regular brushing and flossing are important, as sealants protect the chewing surface, not the sides of the teeth.
Avoid biting down on very hard foods or ice, which can chip or wear down the coating over time.
Visit us for routine checkups so we can monitor wear and reapply sealants as needed.
If a sealant ever needs a touch-up down the road, that is a fast and straightforward fix, not a sign that anything went wrong the first time.
If you already brush and floss consistently, you might wonder whether sealants are really necessary on top of a solid routine. Even the best brushing habits cannot fully clean the bottom of a deep groove, which is why sealants work alongside good hygiene rather than replacing it. Think of it less as a redundant step, and more as reinforcement for the parts of your mouth a toothbrush was never designed to reach.
Another common concern is cost, especially among adults who assume sealants are covered only for children under their insurance plan. Coverage varies by provider, and our team is glad to help you understand what your specific plan allows before any treatment begins.
We accept Delta Dental, Regents, and Primera as in-network providers, and we also accept out-of-network benefits from several other major carriers, so it is worth checking with our office even if you don’t see your plan listed as in-network. For patients without insurance coverage for sealants, or for anyone who prefers to spread out the cost, we offer financing through Cherry, with CareCredit available as an additional option, along with details on how our payment plans work.
We would rather you make a decision about your oral health based on what is best for your teeth, not on financial guesswork, so we always try to be upfront about cost before any treatment begins.
Dr. Jason opened All Smiles Dentistry in Lake Stevens because he wanted his own community to have access to genuinely personalized, family-focused dental care, and that mission still shapes how we approach every appointment today, no matter how old the patient in the chair is. Our office uses digital X-rays and intraoral cameras to help spot decay risk early, so preventive treatments like sealants can be considered at the right time, whether that’s at age six or forty-six.
We would be glad to talk through whether sealants make sense for you or anyone in your family and answer any questions you have in person. You can reach us anytime through our contact form.
Our team always listens to your concerns and gets to know you before customizing your experience to your needs. We want to ensure your comfort while bringing you the best treatments modern family dentistry has to offer.
Feel relaxed at your Lake Stevens dentist as our team takes great care of you. If you’re feeling nervous, our nitrous oxide or conscious sedation options can put you at ease. We’re in good hands here. Feel relaxed at your Lake Stevens dentist
Each time you visit, expect the same level of high-quality care with modern technology and your own dedicated provider. Discover more effective and gentle dentistry with digital imaging, lasers, same-day crowns, and more.
Dr. Jason Steinhubel opened All Smiles Dentistry in Lake Stevens in 2004 to give the community he loves a better dental experience. A member of the American Dental Association, he brings a background in forensics, dental assisting, and dental lab work to a technology-forward, family-focused practice built on prevention, education, and comprehensive care under one roof.
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