Do fissure sealants hurt?

Question

I'm 14 and I'm having fissure sealants next Friday. Never had them before, what happens and do they hurt?

Answer 1

Absolutely not!

The person who is applying the sealants will have to use some form of moisture control (either rubber dam or cotton rolls-neither of which hurt) as the sealant is very sensitive to moisture until it is dried.

The operator will then etch the tooth, which removes the 'smear layer,' allowing for the sealant to adhere to the tooth. The tooth will then be washed and dried.

A sealant will then be applied which is usually light cured (a blue light is shone onto the tooth).

The moisture control will be removed, and they may ask you to bite on some articulating paper to make sure that there are no high spots. It there is a high spot, it'll be polished down.

None of this hurts, so you have nothing to worry about.