DENTAL SEALANTS
Dr. Dana Baldwin provides dental sealants to protect your teeth from cavities and help keep your smile healthy. While sealants are typically offered to children, adults at greater risk of tooth decay can also benefit from this preventive treatment. Call our Dental Center for more information and to set up your appointment with our skilled dentists.
What are Dental Sealants?
Dental sealants are a preventive dental treatment aimed at protecting the chewing surfaces of molars and premolars (back teeth) from tooth decay. These teeth have fissures, grooves, and pits where food particles and bacteria can easily accumulate and lead to cavities. Dental sealants are typically made of a thin, plastic-like resin material. This resin is applied to the chewing surfaces of the teeth and bonds to the enamel.
The primary purpose of dental sealants is to create a physical barrier on the tooth’s surface, sealing off the deep grooves and fissures where bacteria and food can become trapped. By doing so, they help prevent the formation of cavities.
Sealant’s Intended Function
Sealants are used by dentists as a preventive measure to safeguard your teeth from bacteria that can cause disease. The deep grooves in your molars assist in breaking down food during chewing. With time, the accumulation of food and bacteria in these grooves can lead to tooth decay, commonly known as cavities. Sealants are applied to these areas to prevent bacteria from reaching them.
Who is suitable for dental sealants?
Dental sealants are a common practice for children and teenagers, but even adults with no record of tooth decay or molar fillings can reap rewards from this process. Essentially, individuals with a susceptibility to tooth decay in their rear teeth should consider sealants.
While dental sealants are usually associated with kids and teens, even adults without dental decay or preexisting molar fillings can derive benefits from this treatment. Essentially, anyone with vulnerable back teeth should explore the option of sealants.
Children’s premolars and permanent molars should typically receive sealants as soon as they erupt. From the ages of six to fourteen, dental sealants can prevent cavities in their teeth in this way. Dental sealants may occasionally be suitable for primary (baby) teeth as well. Sealants, for instance, can shield areas of your child’s baby teeth with deep grooves and depressions. It’s critical to maintain the health of baby teeth to prevent early tooth loss because they hold the space for adult (permanent) teeth in the mouth.
How to prepare for dental sealants
You don’t need to do anything to get ready for dental sealants. They will be inserted during a routine office visit by our dentist or hygienist. Your teeth will be thoroughly cleaned before we apply the sealants. This aids in preventing the buildup of bacteria between the sealant material and the surfaces of your teeth.
How do dental sealants work
- Preparation: The teeth to be sealed are cleaned and dried.
- Application: The sealant material is then applied to the chewing surfaces of the teeth, where it bonds to the enamel.
- Hardening: A special light is used to harden the sealant, which creates a protective barrier on the tooth surface.
- Dental sealants are typically applied to the permanent molars of children and teenagers as soon as they erupt. However, adults who are at high risk of tooth decay can also benefit from dental sealants.
Benefits of dental sealants
- Protection against decay: Dental sealants provide a protective barrier against bacteria and food particles that can cause decay.
- Easy application: The application of dental sealants is quick, painless, and does not require any drilling or removal of tooth structure.
- Cost-effective: Dental sealants are a cost-effective way to prevent tooth decay, as they can last for several years and are less expensive than fillings or other restorative procedures.
- Improved oral health: By protecting teeth from decay, dental sealants can improve overall oral health and prevent the need for more extensive dental treatments in the future.
