Are dental sealants supposed to last?

Usually, not always: Dental sealants usually last, but not always. Some just come out (within a few days of being placed), other times they come out with sticky foods or candies. Some types of sealant "wash" away so they be in the depths of the pits and fissures of the tooth, but we don't see them. Dental sealants should be checked every 6 months to make sure they are still there.

It varies: It is dependent upon the chewing habits of the person.

Sealants depend: The length of time a dental sealant lasts depends on the anatomy of the tooth being sealed and the occlusion of the patient. Teeth with deep pits and fissures retain sealants better than teeth with shallow pits and fissures. Also, if the patient has heavy occlusion, this will cause ware and dislodging of the sealants.

Sealants wear: The sealant material is softer then natural tooth and can slowly wear away over time. If your tooth needs to be resealed the dentist doesn't need to remove the old sealant because natural wear and tear has already done that. New sealant can be applied right on top of any remaining old sealant. Depending on your diet sealants can last 7-10 years.

Depends: Sealants should last about 3-5 years before the need to be replaced or redone.

NO! Just a temp fix!: It has been my experience that dental implants don't last very long. Most dentist don't adequately clean the tooth (via light air abrasion), etch for the required period of time of effectively isolate the site from contaminating moisture. And .. Even when all of this is done correctly, stick foods can still remove the thin layer of plastic sealants. A minimally invasive filling might be best!