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If you have a child or teenager, chances are good that you have or will be offered dental sealants for their teeth. Sealants protect the biting surfaces of the premolars and molars from dental decay. Here is the information about them that you need to know so you can make the right decision for your children.
What Are Dental Sealants?
Dental sealants are a plastic-resin coating that is applied to the grooves of the biting surfaces of the back teeth. The material is liquid, and it’s cured with an ultraviolet light, so it is a quick, easy and painless application process. Because the grooves are filled, bacteria and decay are much less likely to reside in these dark, tight, hard-to-clean areas, which means that your child will have a reduced risk of developing cavities.
Sealants are most common in children and teenagers, but if you are an adult who has not had decay or a filling on one or more of your molars, you can have them placed, too. They are particularly useful for people with deep grooves and pits on the teeth.
What Is the Application Process?
It takes only a few minutes to place dental sealants. Your hygienist might work alone, or she might ask a dental assistant to help, particularly if a child is having trouble staying still in the chair. First, the teeth are cleaned to remove any plaque or bacteria that might be hanging around in the tooth grooves. The teeth being treated are then isolated with cotton rolls to keep saliva out of the grooves. Next, an etching solution is placed on the teeth, then rinsed off. This “roughs up” the biting surfaces just enough for the sealant material to adhere easily.
The resin material is brushed on the air-dried surfaces, then light-cured for 15 to 30 seconds. Usually, one quadrant of the mouth is done at a time, so the process will be repeated three more times.
Caring for Your Sealants
The great thing about sealants is that they’re maintenance-free! Simply brush the teeth as normal. Some children, usually older kids or teenagers, might notice that they can feel the sealants, but that feeling generally goes away within a couple of days. If it persists, see the dentist, in case some of the material needs to be smoothed out (which is also a painless process). The sealants will wear away after several years, at which time they can be replaced if desired.
If you have any questions about dental sealants, please give the office a call!
