Rutherford County Family Dentistry

Dental Sealants Are An Important Part of Children’s Oral Healthcare

Try as you may, many parents fail to get their children to brush their teeth as they should. Children do okay with their front teeth, but brushing their back teeth are often difficult to reach properly. Tooth decay occurs quickly when children do not do a good job brushing over a period of time. Food particles and plaque get into the grooves and cause cavities. Dental sealants are part of preventative dentistry. They are made to keep those particles from getting into the cracks and prevent decay.

What Is a Dental Sealant?

A dental sealant is a barricade of sorts for cavity prevention. Sealants are thin pieces of plastic that go right onto the surface of the tooth. They are most generally applied to both the molars and premolars, where most of the tooth decay occurs. Another issue is that the enamel is thinner on the back teeth, which also makes these teeth harder to clean. These sealants help younger children to keep their teeth healthy, but they can also be used on adult teeth too.

Who Should Invest in These Protective Barriers?

The depressions of both the premolars and molars are often a cause for the cosmetic dentist to be concerned. This is why both children and teens need these sealants. These sealants should go on the first set of molars, as well as when they get their second molars, which typically happens by their 12th birthday. Some people argue that since it is baby teeth there is no need for preventative measures. However, the baby teeth are required to hold the place open for the permanent teeth. When the tooth is missing, it can cause other teeth to shift and crowd the mouth. This can cause impacted teeth overtime.

Applying The Sealant

Before teeth can have a sealant applied, they must be cleaned. The process is very simple and will only take a few minutes. The clean teeth will have an etching gel applied. This covers the spot where the sealant will later go, and it allows the sealant to bond. After the gel sits for a few minutes, it is removed and an air gun is used to dry the tooth’s surface. The liquid sealant is poured onto the tooth and a blue light is used to harden the finish. The sealant covers all pits and crevices and provides a beautiful hard finish. These sealants are a part of preventative dentistry and any cosmetic dentist can do them.