What Are Dental Sealants?
Maintaining your oral health is an important part of daily life. When not cared for, a person’s gums and teeth can pose serious challenges to their life and lead to major health consequences down the road. Proper brushing, flossing, and regular dental checkups and cleanings are essential everyday tasks. But even with those, cavities and tooth issues can still arise. Dental sealants are another tool in a person’s defense against tooth damage. Read on to learn more about what dental sealants are and what they accomplish in your mouth.
What Are Dental Sealants?
Dental sealants are plastic coatings that help to prevent tooth damage and decay. They are clear, white, or have a slight tint to them. They are usually placed on the back teeth, the molars and premolars, which are used primarily for chewing.
Why Are Dental Sealants Used?
The back teeth, which are used for most of the chewing done by the mouth, have grooves in the surface that help them chew food effectively. Over time, these grooves and the surface can become worn and damaged due to regular use. They are also harder to clean because the grooves can run deep and be in hard-to-reach places that are difficult to reach with a toothbrush. This can lead to plaque buildup which can further damage the tooth and put it at risk for decay. This all makes these teeth more vulnerable to decay, which can lead to cavities, cracking, or breaking of the tooth.
Dental sealants provide an added layer of protection to the back teeth. By covering them, they prevent damage and decay to the tooth, as well as keep it from being worn down due to use. This can preserve the lifespan of the tooth, especially in situations where the wear and damage has already begun but has not yet reached a point of harm to the tooth.
When Are Dental Sealants Used and Who Can Get Them?
Dental sealants must be placed on permanent teeth. This means that a person must have their permanent molars in to get dental sealants. They are often placed in children and teens to prevent the wear and damage to the teeth early on. In these cases, the dental sealants are seen as long-term preventative solutions. In some cases, they are placed on the teeth of adults. This happens if the adult is predisposed to naturally deep grooves or is showing early signs of damage and wear that can be prevented from getting worse.
How Are Dental Sealants Placed?
The procedure for dental sealants involves the tooth being thoroughly cleaned and dried. Then an acidic solution is applied to the tooth, which creates microscopic grooves in the teeth that the sealant can bond to. Then the liquid dental sealant is placed on the tooth and hardened using a light designed to cure the sealant.
What Does This Mean for Me?
If you think you might be a candidate for dental sealants or want to learn more, speak with your dentist today. They will be able to tell you more about the sealants and if they might be right for you.