Traditionally, fillings have been used when there’s a cavity that’s caught by your dentist. Whether you choose an amalgam filling - the old style silver fillings that everyone is accustomed to - or a resin filling that matches the color of your teeth, fillings are used to stop decay and prevent it from getting worse.

Sealants, on the other hand are often used in cases where dental patients have grooves in their teeth (or deep cracks or simply recesses). Rather than waiting until decay starts, dentists use sealants to protect the teeth.

A dental sealant is applied as a liquid that will fill the cracks. The liquid is hardened using ultraviolet light, and as a result the cracks, grooves and deepened spots are no longer a place where food and bacteria get caught.

While sealants are not exactly an alternative to fillings, if you find that you have some “problem spots” and want to be able to avoid the dentist’s drill, you may want to talk with your dentist about whether or not they are an option for you.

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