Sealants

Although Brushing and flossing are the best ways to help prevent cavities, it is not always easy to clean every nook and cranny of your teeth. Pit and Fissures are very common, especially on the back teeth used to chew (called molars). The table surfaces of molars are rough, uneven and a favorite place for leftover food and cavity-causing bacteria to hide.

Sealant is a thin, protective coating made from resin polymer. When applied correctly it adheres to the chewing surface of your molars and acts like a “Raincoat” to the tooth. They prevent food lodgment in the thin grooves and crevices of the molars and thereby decrease cavities. They can prevent cavities from forming and may even stop early stages of decay from becoming a full-blown cavity.

Studies have shown that sealants have been shown to reduce the risk of decay by nearly 80% in molars. According Center for Disease Control (CDC) in school aged children (6-11years) Children with sealants had 3 times less cavities than children without sealants.

Sealants are proven effective in children and in adults but they work best on a newly erupted tooth. Sealants can be used over areas of early decay to prevent further damage to your tooth but a close watch is highly recommended in these cases.

Application of Sealant is very quick and painless process.

1.Your dentist will clean and dry the tooth before placing an acidic gel.
2. This gel cleanses and roughs up your tooth surface so a strong bond will form between the tooth and the sealant.
3. After a few seconds, your dentist will rinse off the gel and dry your tooth once again before applying the sealant onto the grooves of your tooth.
4.Your dentist will then use a special blue light to harden the sealant.

Sealants will last for several years before they need to be reapplied. Most insurance plans do cover sealants, so call talk to your dentist to get sealants done for you children. This is especially important when it comes to your child's dental health.