Dental Sealant is a dental treatment that prevents tooth decay. This treatment is a fast and painless dental treatment, which is done without anesthesia. It is usually well accepted by the child. Let us find more information on this and will also discuss how do they work?
What are dental sealants?
Dental sealant is thin layers of resin similar to composite. They are applied to the chewing surface of the molars and premolars. The dental sealant covers the pits and fissures and thus makes this surface does not allow bacterial retention.
What are dental sealants used for?
With their application on dental pits, they manage to suppress the retentive surfaces that induce the formation of bacteria and its immediate consequence: tooth decay.
What are the benefits of dental sealants?
- Dental sealants are resins that are placed on top of the molar and premolar teeth.
- This resin is attached to the tooth covering the dental pit or fissure and therefore allows brushing that area to be more effective.
- Also, covering the pits protects the tooth, by not allowing the bacteria that cause tooth decay to accumulate in those areas.
How Dental Sealants work?
Not paying attention to your dental hygiene can cause tooth decay, because of bacteria and food debris in your mouth form plaque and tartar on your teeth.
Dental caries, in turn, can lead to tooth loss, which further affects your appearance and your oral health. In addition to teaching them how to take care of their teeth, you can help protect your children from tooth decay if you take them to the children’s clinic.
There, you can talk to the pediatric dentist about dental sealants, which help preserve teeth. If you want to do everything in your power to protect your child’s oral health, read on to learn how dental sealants work.
Dental sealants are designed to cover the enamel of your teeth in order not to allow contact with contaminants and protect your teeth from decay.
This is a safe and effective procedure, and its effectiveness is greater when used at an early age. The faster sealants are applied, the sooner the enamel on your child’s teeth will be protected.
Since dental caries is more common in the posterior teeth, this is where sealants will be applied. These cover the chewing surfaces and prevent bacteria from eating the enamel.
Why are dental sealants placed in grooves and dental pits?
The grooves, pits, and fissures provide ideal spaces or niches for the colonization of the microorganisms that cause tooth decay. These grooves are so small that they prevent the cleaning of the bacteria in that area with a toothbrush. That is, it is in the grooves of the teeth where the bacteria that cause decay most easily accumulate.
By failing to clean the grooves well, bacteria continue to reproduce, releasing the destructive acids from tooth enamel. Fissures, grooves, and pits are small spaces in the teeth where dental sealants are placed.
With dental sealants, these deep depressions can be transformed into smoother areas, better and easier to clean. Thus we also eliminate the habitat of cryogenic microorganisms.
When is it advised to put dental sealants in pediatric dentistry?
- Molars and premolars permanently erupted as well as in temporary teeth.
- Teenagers and young adults who are very prone to tooth decay.
- People with xerostomia since mouths with little salivary flow are more prone to decay.
- If you have a diet high in carbohydrates and sticky sugars like candies.
- In cases of psychic or motor disability that have more difficulty at the time of sanitizing your mouth.
- Dental sealants can also be used for bleeding gums treatment.
How long dental sealant does last?
Dental sealants can prevent bleeding gums as well as tooth decay in the pit of teeth because they serve as a barrier to bacteria. If you go regularly to the dental clinic and, all accompanied by good oral hygiene. Sealers can last approximately 10 years.
In case a part of the sealer falls, there is no need for tooth decay, although it increases your chances.
Therefore, it is always advisable to do the periodic review with the nearest dental clinic.
