Dental Sealants And Your Dental Health

The teeth, like every other part of the body, grow and develop till maturity. The development of the teeth starts at about six months after birth. The teeth at this point are called milk teeth. The milk teeth are temporary and are used by kids from 6 months of age to about seven years of age. At age six to seven, a child starts to lose the milk teeth and these are replaced by permanent teeth. The permanent teeth last for a lifetime and there is no natural replacement for its loss. However, the teeth, like every other part of the body, are subject to defects, wear and tear. These defects can be a result of the frequency and length of use or improper care. Tooth decay is a major teeth problem that leads to toothache, tooth sensitivity, loss of teeth, etc. Dental sealants can help to prevent and control tooth decay.

Dental sealants are thin, plastic coatings placed or painted on the occlusal (chewing) surface of the permanent back teeth (premolars and molars). The chewing surfaces of the molar and premolar teeth are rough and have fissures(long, narrow openings or lines of breakage made by cracking or splitting). These fissures might make the teeth harder to clean and food might get stuck between them for a long time. This leads to tooth decay. Tooth decay is caused by dental plaques. These dental plaques are slimy substances that form when bacteria mix with saliva and food that gets stuck in the teeth. These slimy substances cover the teeth, harden and become tartar over time if not washed away. This leads to tooth decay. Fissure sealants can help to prevent this by covering the teeth and preventing food from getting in places brushing and flossing won’t. Tooth sealants bond into the tooth and form a covering over the enamel of the tooth. Dental sealants are safe and effective and they protect the tooth from 50 percent of cavities.

It is advisable to get dental sealants for kids immediately after they lose their milk teeth and grow permanent teeth. This helps to reduce or eliminate the increased risk of children and teenagers having tooth decay and dental cavities.

Dental Sealants Application Procedure

Dental sealants can be applied by a Scarborough dentist or any general dentist. The process of getting a dental sealant is easy and painless.

When getting dental sealants in Scarborough, ON, the surface of the tooth to be worked on is cleaned properly by your dentist. It is first cleaned with paste and brush, then it is washed with water and dried. An acid solution is then applied to the chewing surfaces of the teeth to be worked on. This acidic solution helps to roughen these surfaces to allow better bonding of the sealants. The tooth surface is then washed and dried again then the sealants are applied. The dental sealant bonds into the tooth and harden. The dental sealants are sometimes hardened with the use of dental lights. After hardening, the sealant becomes a hard plastic varnish coating. When this happens, you can now chew and function normally with the teeth again.

Dental sealants can help to protect you from tooth decay for many years. They last for many years and can be replaced at any time due to wear and tear.

Benefits Of Dental Sealants

Dental sealants are a popular choice which you should consider because:

• They are easy to repair and maintain. Dental sealants do not need frequent visits to a dental clinic to maintain and can be easily replaced if need be.
• Dental sealants are painless. There is no pain during and after the application of sealants.
• Dental sealants protect your teeth from food that might get stuck in them. This prevents tooth decay.
• Dental sealants last long. Dental sealants can last for as long as ten years with proper usage.

You should consider getting dental sealants today!