Baltimore Dental . COM
*YOUR TEETH*
SEALANTS
The first step in maintaining a healthy mouth is preventing tooth decay, and sealants can offer major protection against cavities. Your teeth are covered with a sticky film of bacteria, called plaque. When you don't clean your teeth after eating, plaque bacteria use sugar and starch in food as a source of energy. The bacteria convert the sugar or starch into harmful acids that attack tooth enamel for as long as twenty minutes or more. Repeated attacks may cause the enamel to break down, resulting in cavities.
How does a sealant help prevent decay?
A sealant is a plastic material that is usually applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth — premolars and molars. This plastic resin bonds into the depressions and grooves (pits and fissures) of the chewing surfaces of back teeth. The sealant acts as a barrier, protecting enamel from plaque and acids.
Thorough brushing and flossing help remove food particles and plaque from smooth surfaces of teeth. But toothbrush bristles cannot reach all the way into the depressions and grooves to extract food and plaque. Sealants protect these vulnerable areas by "sealing out" plaque and food.
Is sealant application a complicated procedure?
Sealants are easy for your dentist to apply, and it takes only a few minutes to seal each tooth. The teeth that will be sealed are cleaned. Then the chewing surfaces are roughened with an acid solution to help the sealant adhere to the tooth. The sealant is then 'painted' onto the tooth enamel, where it bonds directly to the tooth and hardens. Sometimes a special curing light is used to help the sealant harden.
As long as the sealant remains intact, the tooth surface will be protected from decay. Sealants hold up well under the force of normal chewing and usually last several years before a reapplication is needed. During your regular dental visits, your dentist will check the condition of the sealants and reapply them when necessary.
Sealants are just for kids, right?
The likelihood of developing pit and fissure decay begins early in life, so children and teenagers are obvious candidates. But adults can benefit from sealants as well.
Q: How long do sealants last?
A: Research shows that sealants can last for many years. So, your child will be protected
throughout the most cavity-prone years. If your child has good oral hygiene and avoids
biting hard objects, sealants will last longer. Your pediatric dentist can easily replace
or repair a lost or damaged sealant.
Q: What is the treatment like?
A: The application of a sealant is quick and comfortable. It takes only one visit. Your
pediatric dentist conditions and dries the tooth, applies the sealant, then allows it to
harden.
Q: How much does it cost?
A: The treatment is very affordable, especially in view of the valuable decay protection
it offers your child. Sealants may be covered by your dental insurance. Talk to your
pediatric dentist about the exact cost of sealants for your child.
Q: Which teeth should be sealed?
A: The teeth most at risk of decay, and therefore most in need of sealants, are the
six-year and twelve-year molars. But any tooth with grooves or pits may benefit from the
protection of sealants.
Q: If my child has sealants, are brushing and flossing still important?
A: Absolutely! Sealants are only one step in the plan to keep your child cavity-free for a
lifetime. Brushing, flossing, and regular dental visits are still essential to a bright,
healthy smile.
