Dental Sealants

Flossing and brushing are always the best ways to help prevent cavities. However, cleaning every nook and cranny of your teeth is not always easy, especially the back molars. Back teeth are uneven, rough and the favorite place for bacteria that causes cavities.

There is another safe way to help keep your teeth clean. This is through the use of a sealant. Dental sealants are thin plastic coatings painted in the deep grooves of the back teeth to help prevent cavities for years.

Dental sealants protect the chewing surfaces of children from cavities, with the help of a protective shield that covers them, to block out germs and food. The sealant fits into the depression and grooves of the teeth, creating a shield above the enamel of each tooth. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sealants protect against 80% of cavities for 2 years after being placed on teeth and proceed with the protection against 50% of the cavity for up to 4 years, making them essential for dental health.

How sealants work

You can consider sealants as a raincoat for your teeth, whether a child or adult. When cavity-causing bacteria ingest food particles and leftovers, they release acids that can create holes in the teeth. The holes created are cavities. However, once sealants are applied, it keeps the food particles away and stops the bacteria from growing on your teeth.

Who Gets a Sealant?

Due to the likelihood of getting decay in the depressions and grooves of their molars and premolars, children and teenagers are perfect candidates for sealants. However, those with good dental health and without decay or fillings on their teeth can automatically benefit from sealants.

The first molars come out around the age of 6 while the second molars emerge at the age of around 12 years. When you seal these permanent teeth as soon as they emerge, the sealants keep them safe from the cavity. An early response by the dental hygienist helps save time, money, and resources in the long run while improving oral health. Children should get sealants on their permanent molars and premolars, as soon as they have come in.

Dental Sealant Placement

Placing dental sealants is a quick and painless process. Using a paste or a rotating brush, your tooth gets cleaned by your hygienist or dentist. Next, the tooth is cleaned with water then dried. An acidic solution is later added to the fissured area, on the tooth’s chewing surface for a few seconds before being washed off. This helps build a rougher surface than the surrounding tooth enamel that can only be seen with the help of a microscope. The microscopic areas and the rough surfaces allow the dental sealants to get attached to the tooth. Once the tooth dries again, liquid dental sealants are placed onto the tooth and hardened. The hardening process takes place with the help of a curing light that hardens the dental sealant. Sometimes, a two-component dental sealant that is capable of setting without using light is placed on the teeth. After the procedure, it turns into a hard plastic varnish coating that protects your teeth during chewing.