Fissure sealing in a dog: making home care easier

Reason for the visit

The owners came in with their mixed-breed dog for an annual dental procedure to assess oral health and provide professional cleaning.

The dog's home care is well established: the owners brush its teeth every day.

Regular brushing helps control soft bacterial plaque, but even with good care, certain areas can remain harder to clean due to the anatomical shape of the teeth.

Why plaque built up despite daily brushing

The presence of plaque does not always mean the owners are brushing incorrectly.

Accessibility of a surface to a brush is affected by:

• The position of the tooth
• Its shape
• The depth of natural grooves
• How closely neighboring teeth are spaced
• The direction of the brushing motion
• How calmly the dog allows the back areas to be cleaned

In this dog, plaque built up faster on the upper back teeth, particularly in the natural depressions of premolars 108 and 208.

The upper fourth premolars 108 and 208 are the large teeth at the back of the upper jaw, where the natural grooves proved harder to clean.

Natural grooves on the tooth surface can be harder to clean, which is why plaque builds up faster in these areas in some dogs even with regular home care.

According to the owners' observations, plaque in the fissure area became noticeable again after roughly three weeks.

What are teeth 108 and 208

Under the veterinary tooth numbering system:

• 108 — right upper fourth premolar
• 208 — left upper fourth premolar

These are large, functionally loaded teeth located at the back of the upper jaw — the upper fourth premolars 108 and 208.

Their crown surfaces have natural anatomical grooves and depressions.

Their shape and depth can vary between dogs.

In some patients, these areas retain plaque more easily and can be harder to clean with a toothbrush.

What a tooth fissure is

A fissure is a natural narrow groove or depression on the crown surface of a tooth.

A fissure by itself is not a pathology.

However, if it is deep or has a shape that is hard to clean, soft plaque may accumulate there faster.

Not every natural groove requires treatment or sealing.

The decision is made individually after assessing:

• Enamel condition
• Tooth anatomy
• Presence of plaque
• Accessibility of the area for home cleaning
• Functional contacts
• The condition of the whole tooth and surrounding tissue

Why COHAT was performed, not just sealing

Before sealing, it's important to assess not only the visible fissure but the condition of the entire mouth.

The dog underwent a comprehensive oral health assessment and treatment under the COHAT protocol.

The procedure included:

• An examination under controlled general anesthesia
• A per-tooth assessment
• Periodontal probing
• A tooth mobility assessment
• Professional supra- and subgingival cleaning
• Full-mouth dental radiography
• Development of an individualized plan
• Performance of the agreed-upon procedures
• Recording of findings in the dental chart

COHAT is a comprehensive assessment and treatment of oral health, not just preparation for sealing.

Professional cleaning

Hard tartar deposits were removed using an ultrasonic scaler.

Remaining soft plaque was then removed using AirPolishing with AirFlow.

After professional cleaning, the tooth surfaces were polished.

Before applying the sealing material, the tooth surface must be clean, since the material cannot be applied over plaque or tartar.

Why full-mouth dental radiography was needed

Only the crown portion of a tooth can be assessed visually.

Dental radiographs help assess:

• Roots
• The pulp cavity
• Surrounding bone tissue
• Hidden dental pathology
• The overall prognosis of the tooth

Fissure sealing is a local preventive procedure, but the decision to perform it is made in the context of a complete assessment of the tooth itself.

Why sealing was chosen

After the comprehensive assessment, it was decided to seal the natural fissures on teeth 108 and 208.

The main reason was that:

• The owners brushed the teeth regularly and thoroughly
• Plaque still built up faster in the local depressions
• These areas were harder to access with a brush
• Creating a smoother surface could make future home care easier

Sealing was an additional preventive procedure, not a replacement for professional cleaning or daily brushing.

In this case, fissure sealing is an additional preventive procedure performed after a complete assessment of the teeth.

The goal was not to change the functional shape of the tooth, but to make the local natural depressions less retentive for plaque and easier to clean at home.

How fissure sealing works

Fissure sealing involves filling selected natural depressions and grooves on the tooth surface with a dental material, creating a smoother surface that is easier to clean during home care.

In this case, the material was applied not to the entire crown, but only to the local natural depressions where plaque accumulated faster.

After completion, the surface should be:

• Smoother
• Less retentive for plaque
• Easier to clean
• Free of sharp or excess edges

The material should not cover the entire crown or change the tooth's basic anatomical shape.

Does sealing affect the bite

Sealing is performed within local depressions and should not alter the functional cusps or normal occlusal contacts. After the material is applied, its shape, edges, and contacts with the opposing teeth are always checked.

After applying the material, the vet assesses:

• Its edges
• Surface smoothness
• The absence of excess material
• Contacts with the opposing teeth
• Preservation of normal jaw closure

A properly shaped sealant should not create an undesirable occlusal contact or prevent the dog from closing its mouth normally.

After recovering from anesthesia, the dog should generally not perceive a separate structure or a noticeable change in bite.

Does tooth function change

Sealing is not a crown, an orthodontic appliance, or root canal treatment.

It should not change:

• Tooth position
• The bite
• Functional cusps
• The dog's usual grasping and chewing of food
• The dog's normal behavior

The procedure is aimed only at a local change in the surface of the selected fissure and is an additional preventive procedure to make hygiene easier.

Dental chart

After diagnostics and treatment were completed, the findings were recorded in the dental chart.

It documents:

• The condition of the teeth and gums
• The results of the periodontal assessment
• Radiographic findings
• The professional cleaning performed
• Sealing of teeth 108 and 208
• Home-care recommendations
• Areas that need further monitoring

The dental chart helps compare the condition of the teeth at future preventive checkups.

Ongoing home care

After the procedure, the owners were advised to continue daily tooth brushing.

Sealing does not replace home oral hygiene.

Regular care is needed to clean:

• Tooth surfaces
• Areas near the gums
• The spaces between teeth
• Other natural grooves
• The edges of the sealed area

Even a smoother surface can accumulate plaque if it is not cleaned.

Why the sealant needs to be monitored

Dental material is subject to functional load and, over time, may:

• Wear down
• Partially lose its marginal seal
• Become damaged
• Require correction or renewal

That's why long-term monitoring of the sealant is important during future dental checkups: the integrity of the material, its edges, plaque accumulation, enamel condition, occlusal contacts, and the condition of the gums around the teeth.