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A dental sealant is an essential part of preventative dental healthcare, and it is a remarkably simple one at that. It consists of a clear, white, or tinted plastic coating that the dentist will place on the biting surfaces of back teeth.
These teeth are particularly vulnerable to tooth decay and need extra protection in the fight against cavities. This is due to the fact that the biting surfaces of these teeth have very deep grooves and pits that are extremely difficult to keep clean. Bacterial buildup in these hard-to-reach areas is very rapid and leads to fast accumulation of plaque.
Plaque is a very big problem, and especially for children. As it builds on the teeth, the bacteria that are resident within it release acid. This acid then attacks tooth enamel and makes the teeth even more vulnerable to tooth caries.
It is nearly impossible for an individual to see plaque. In most cases, a dentist has to conduct a thorough dental examination to find it. Many times the teeth are stained with a harmless red dye to find the plaque.
After plaque is removed through professional tooth cleaning surfaces, dental sealants can then be used to cover the deep groves in back teeth. This leaves plaque with no place to hide, and teeth with a much better chance of remaining cavity free.
Anyone can benefit from sealants, but children especially benefit from them. Children experience two times in their lives when permanent teeth emerge—ages 6 and 12. During these times, back teeth that grow out should be immediately cleaned and protected with dental sealants in order to give these teeth the best possible protection against plaque, tartar, and tooth decay.
The application process is simple and painless, and something no child should fear. The tooth is only cleaned, then a covered with a special gel. The sealant is then painted onto the chewing surface of the tooth. A special light is then used to harden the material.
All of this takes only a minute to do all of this. Remarkably, though, sealants will last a minimum of 5 years, and in many instances, they can last as long as 10 years. Because they are tooth colored, they will not be noticed by anyone other than a trained professional who knows how to look for them, and they certainly will not cause a child embarrassment when he or she smiles.
It will be necessary to continue to see the dentist for regular dental checkups to make sure that the sealants are still in place and properly protecting teeth.
Because dental sealants are so easy to obtain, so painless to children, and last for so long, parents often wonder if they can stop using fluoride. This should not be done. Fluoride, when used correctly, poses no threat to anyone, and in fact works in many ways that sealants do not. Ideally, the two should be used together according to a preventative pediatric dental treatment plan written for the child by the dentist.
It goes without saying that proper brushing, flossing, and diet should also be observed as standard dental homecare.
Getting dental sealants now is always better than waiting for cavities to form and having to have drilling and filling done after the fact. Drilling by nature destroys some of the healthy part of the tooth and further weakens it. It also involves a measure of pain no matter how it is done.
Sealants can prevent this pain, cost much less money, and take much less time to apply and maintain.
Houston Cosmetic Dentistry is a specialized field that requires extensive knowledge and experience to be done correctly. The Medical Center Dental Group in Houston, Texas brings all of that and more to the direct benefit of each and every patient we treat. Although we are located in the world famous Houston Medical Center at Scurlock Towers, we routinely see dental patients who travel from Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Beaumont and Midland Texas to see Dr. Dale Brant, Dr. Charles Campbell or Dr. Elizabeth O’Sullivan-Winslow for their cosmetic denistry services that includes:
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