The most likely location for a cavity to develop in your child's mouth is on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. Dental sealants are invisible plastic resin coatings that smooth out the chewing surfaces of the back teeth, making them resistant to decay. A sealed tooth is far less likely to develop a cavity, require more expensive dental treatment later on, or, most importantly, cause your child pain. Our office advocates the placement of sealants primarily for the permanent 1st and 2nd molars around the age of 6 for the 1st molars and age 12 for the 2nd molars. Sealants will occasionally be recommended for baby teeth, permanent premolars, or 3rd molars (wisdom teeth) if the patient has a very high cavity risk or other special circumstance. Placement of sealants typically only requires a 15-30 minute appointment with the doctor.