Dental sealants are plastic coatings typically put on the molars and premolars (permanent teeth) to prevent dents and decay. Children and teenagers often use them as soon as their permanent back teeth (molars) grow.
Dental Sealants Service
A sealant is a thin, protective coating shaped from plastic and other teeth-enhancing materials that can stick to the chewing area of the molars and premolars. It is not a means to escape flossing and brushing; instead, they help get rid of cavities. Also, they truncate decay from a very tender stage, so it doesn’t grow into a more significant challenge.
Research has it that sealants have reduced the risk of decay by nearly 80% in molars. This is because when the bacteria that cause cavities in the mouth meet leftover food crumbs, they secret acids that make teeth holes; they become cavities. When our dentist applies the sealant, it gets rid of the food particles and prevents acid and bacteria from settling on your teeth. They are like a shield; even though you make food particles, the sealant prevents them from setting on your teeth. Dentists often place dental sealants on adults. This happens when the adult is on the verge of fissures and deep grooves. This is an intervention for an adult who doesn’t have dental sealants or filling.
What Is the Process of Applying Sealants?
It’s a quick and painless process. First, your dentist will clean and dry your tooth before placing an acidic gel. This gel roughs up your tooth surface to form a strong sealant bond. After a few seconds, your dentist will rinse off the gel and dry your tooth again before applying adhesive. Your dentist will then use a special blue light to harden the sealant.
What Is the Process of Placing Dental Sealants?
- Our dentist meticulously cleans the tooth surface. Then, the dentist or dental hygienist uses a paste and brush by rotating it until every angle is clean.
- Afterward, he rinses, wipes, and dries the affected tooth. For some seconds, the fissured region receives an acidic solution. This is for the solution to penetrate the chewing area before rinsing.Â
- He uses a microscope to check for the rough surface and the very tiny areas formed because of the application of the acidic solution. This microscopic area and surface allow the sealant to stay glued to the tooth.
- After drying the tooth again, he applies and solidifies the water-based dental sealant. Next, dental sealants are dried using a lamp to harden the sealant or applying two dental sealants that hold without a light.
- When the dental sealant hardens, it transforms into a rigid plastic topcoat coating, and you can eat on the molar afterward.
Is it possible to seal cavities with sealants?
Sealants can protect your molar from further harm triggered by initial deterioration. Because some sealants are immediately evident, your dentist can check to see if the sealant is effective.
Advantages of Dental SealantsÂ
Dental sealants do have a lot of importance and privileges. Some of them are:
- They are transparent or white.
- Dental sealants block and cover up the tiny holes and grooves in the teeth to prevent decay.
- The application doesn’t take much time.
- The process is painless, the same as the use.
- The process is seamless and does not require cutting, shedding, or injection.
- Sealants keep your mouth secure; you do not need to fret.
- Dental sealants are highly durable; they can last for over six years and a dental professional applies them.
- They must be subjected to constant routine checkups as long as they last long. They need to be observed and examined frequently.
The majority of decay begins in the small holes and grooves on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth (molars). Lifelong molars are the most vulnerable to dental decay and gain the most from dental sealants.
Most children get their first molars around the age of six or seven and their second molars around eleven or twelve. As the molars emerge, they are more vulnerable to tooth decay. Therefore, it is especially crucial to stay abreast with your child’s routine dental.
Possible Downsides to Dental Sealants
You should not be ignorant that sealants possess a trace of bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical found in plastic materials. According to the Mayo Clinic, many guardians shy away from BPA materials because they have been attached to kids’ and newborns’ health complications. However, according to the American Dental Association (ADA), exposure to BPA in a dental sealant has negative health impacts. The only potential disadvantage of sealant on your teeth is an allergic reaction. The good thing is that responses to dental sealants are uncommon. Discuss allergies with your dentist. This is an essential test to determine whether you require sealants.