What are Dental Sealants?
What are Dental Sealants?
Sealants are a thin, protective coating that fill the pits and tiny grooves on the chewing surface of your teeth– usually the back teeth (premolars and molars) to prevent tooth decay. Dr. Laskis only uses BPA-free sealants on her patients. The recommendation is to have sealants placed as soon as the permanent molars erupt (age 6 and age 12 on average). Although thorough brushing and flossing can remove food particles and plaque from smooth surfaces of teeth, the toothbrush bristles cannot always get into all of the deep grooves in the backs of the teeth to remove the food and plaque and fully stop tooth decay from forming. Therefore, we recommend having a sealant treatment which can keep cavities from forming and may even stop the early stages of dental decay from becoming a full-blown cavity.
In fact, sealants have been shown to reduce the risk of decay by nearly 80% in molars. This is especially important when it comes to your child’s dental health. The sealant quickly bonds into the depressions and deep grooves of the teeth, forming a protective shield over the enamel of each tooth.
How long do sealants last?
Sealants will often last for 3-5 years before there is a need to have them reapplied. During your regular dental checkups, Dr. Laskis will check the condition of the sealant and can reapply them as needed. If a tooth loses a sealant, the protective shield is gone and the tooth can get a cavity. Missing sealants are easy to replace.
Schedule Your Dental Sealant Consultation
How Are Sealants Applied?
Applying sealants is a quick and painless process. Dr. Laskis will clean and dry your tooth before placing an acidic gel on your teeth. This gel roughens up your tooth surface so a strong bond will form between your tooth and the sealant. After a few seconds, Dr. Laskis will rinse off the gel and dry your tooth once again before applying a primer and bonding agent and then the sealant material onto the grooves of your tooth. Your dentist, dental hygienist, or assistant will then use a special blue light to harden the sealant.
Contact us today for a free consultation to determine if sealants can help you.
Back To: Restorative Care