Sealants

What Are Dental Sealants?

A sealant is a thin, plastic coating applied to the chewing surface of molars, premolars and any deep grooves (called pits and fissures) of teeth.  More than 75% of dental decay begins in these deep grooves.  Teeth with these conditions are hard to clean and are very susceptible to decay.  A sealant protects the tooth by sealing deep grooves, creating a smooth, easy to clean surface.

Sealants can protect teeth from decay for many years, but need to be checked for wear and chipping at regular dental visits.

Reasons for sealants:

Obviously, you wouldn’t get a dental sealent for pure aesthetic appeal. Unlike veneers, dental sealants have specific reasons that depend on the patient’s age. It’s also possible for your dentist to recommend a dental sealant procedure after running an assessment of your mouth and teeth.

Dental assessment is important because there are some risk factors to be wary of. You should be honest with your dentist, especially if you’re being questioned before the procedure.

• Children and teenagers – As soon as the six-year molars (the first permanent back teeth) appear or any time throughout the cavity prone years of 6-16.

• Adults – Tooth surfaces without decay that have deep grooves or depressions.

• Baby teeth – Occasionally done if teeth have deep grooves or depressions and child is cavity prone.

The Application of Dental Sealants

Sealants are easily applied by your dentist or dental hygienist and the process takes only a couple of minutes per tooth.

The teeth to be sealed are thoroughly cleaned and then surrounded with cotton to keep the area dry. A special solution is applied to the enamel surface to help the sealant bond to the teeth.  The teeth are then rinsed and dried.  Sealant material is carefully painted onto the enamel surface to cover the deep grooves or depressions.  Depending on the type of sealant used, the material will either harden automatically or with a special curing light.

Proper home care, a balanced diet, and regular dental visits will aid in prolonging the quality of your new sealants. If you don’t have enough budget for a new dental sealant application, then you can try getting a dental plan. Through a flexible dental plan, you can save money without getting compromised on the procedure that you need. Before agreeing to a dental plan, make sure that you’ve analyzed your financial state and current needs.

Dental Sealants Aftercare

While you don’t need to be paranoid about your dental sealants wearing down, you still need to be wary about them. This can be done by changing your dental habits on a daily basis. If you love eating sweets, for example, then you should start limiting your intake. Sweets can wear down your teeth enamel fast, and they can also affect your dental sealant – though it will take a long time. Aside from regular sweets, you should let gp of sugary drinks and carbonated soda.

Here at Lancaster Dental, we care about your oral health. Contact our dental office today if you need an appointment!