How long do sealants traditionally last?

Question

My teenage son had sealants applied to his molars when he was quite young. I don't remember his age, but I believe it was around 8-9 years old. His last dental check up (we changed dentists due to insurance reasons), we were informed his sealants had come off so we had them re-applied. That was 6 months ago and today during his routine cleaning, I was informed his sealants were gone and needed to be re-done - AGAIN! His diet hasn't changed and he takes good care of his teeth.

1. How long do sealants traditionally last?

2. How can I tell if the sealants are gone because they did a poor job applying them?

My insurance only covers 1 application of sealants, which were done years ago. The ones set 6 months ago came out of my pocket, and now it looks as though I'm going to have to pay again!

Answer 1

To be honest, it sounds to me like your dentist is just after your money. I had sealent put on when I was 8 years old (possibly even younger) and I'm 15 years old now. I'm pretty sure that my sealant is still there and i've eaten everything under the sun.

Answer 2

If they were applied six months ago, a GOOD dentist would redo them at no charge.  Some reasons why they did not last is, person applying sealants got them wet during the procedure, is your son a ice chewer-extreme cold makes them pop off, also your sons bite-if he grinds he may be grinding them down.  Traditionally they last 3-5 years.  The only way you can tell if the sealant is lasting is if they used a white sealant.  Today many sealants come in a variety of colors to match your tooth shade so it is hard to tell, only your dentist and hygienist know.