Dental Sealants
Dental sealant is also called fissure and pit sealants or just fissure sealants. They are dental treatment which should prevent tooth carries. The teeth do recess in the biting surface while at their back teeth there are grooves and fissures and some have front teeth which feature cingulum pits.
Dental Sealants
Dental sealant is also called fissure and pit sealants or just fissure sealants. They are dental treatment which should prevent tooth carries. The teeth do recess in the biting surface while at their back teeth there are grooves and fissures and some have front teeth which feature cingulum pits. These fissures and pits are vulnerable to tooth decay since this is because the food hold on them while they cannot be cleaned easily. The dental sealants contain the materials which are put in the fissure and pits so that they can fill them and they create a smooth surface which is easy in cleaning. A dental sealant is used with children who may be at high risk of suffering tooth decay; they are put on when adult moral teeth develop.
The dental caries are the upset of a balance between the gain and the loss of the minerals from the tooth surface. The minerals loss from the teeth takes place from bacteria in the mouths which ferment the foods while producing acids but the tooth gets the minerals away of the saliva and the fluoride which is found in the mouth. The imbalance is the result of taking too much fermentable carbohydrates or bad oral hygiene with not enough fluoride intake. This causes the continuous loss with no gain of the minerals over sometime. This may cause what it is called tooth decay.
Biting surface for the back teeth is susceptible to the caries because of the existence of the fissures and grooves and this favors the retention and the formation of the plaque.
The fissure sealant is a preventive procedure which is used as minimal invasive method in dentistry. The approach does facilitate the prevention and the early intervention which helps to stop and to prevent the process of the dental caries before it can reach to the end-stage of disease. This problem is also called cavitation and hole of the tooth. The aim of the fissure sealant is to prevent or arresting the development of the dental caries. Preventing the tooth decay away of the fissure and pits is gotten by using fissure sealant which provides the physical barricade that protects natural tooth surface with grooves; it inhibits the buildup of the bacteria with the food which is trapped in the grooves and fissures. Fissure sealant offers smooth surface which is works as a protective barrier while cleaning the teeth. Different oral health professional do include dental hygienists, dental therapists and dentist. The dental providers are capable to apply the dental sealant on the teeth.
Why Do You Need Dental Sealants?
Dental sealant is manufactured in plastic like material and it is placed in the fissures or pits of the permanent or primary molar or premolar teeth found on the back of a mouth. Moral teeth are known to be susceptible to dental decays because of their anatomy in the chewing surface of such teeth and this can inhibit the protection of the fluoride and saliva and it favors the accumulation of plaque.
Even with the right oral hygiene routine, some people can still suffer cavities. Some people are prone to the caries because of the structure and shape of the teeth but not because they refuse to brush on regular basis. When the dentists do notice that a person in the family may suffer advanced decays even with highly recommended oral hygiene, the dentist may suggest using the dental sealant to ensure that the teeth are healthy.
The dentists will not suggest the sealant to every patient but they are only reserved to people who are prone to the cavities like young kids and teens. This includes the children who still have the baby teeth. The sealant is designed to fill up the deep pits with the grooves of the molars which are susceptible to the caries since they can trap the food particles on such areas of the teeth. If the bacteria are trapped in such way, it is the reason behind the cavities and the sealant can protect the tooth against the caries at once.
Applying the sealant before the decay starts; it will block the bacteria area and the food particles which are attached on the teeth surface.
Does Getting a Dental Sealant Cause Dental Pain?
It is something to understand that the patient can be nervous before a dental procedure if there is no prior experience with the procedure. Most of the sealants are made using a liquid resin and it is brushed in the teeth for the teeth to be hardened. This process can take only some minutes and this includes drying after application. This procedure may be given as offer to some school centers. The resin will be dried from plastic material into a hard material, in few seconds since the light will be used to cure the sealant materials. The material turns invisible and there will be no difference in the normal surface and the natural teeth.
How Long Do Sealants Last?
When the sealant is applied, it may last over ten years as far as it is maintained well. There is no need to remove it but it can wear off over time which allows getting a new sealant as needed.
When the sealant had been applied, the dentist is going to check on it every time that the patients go to professional cleaning. He can reapply the sealant if it is wearing faster compared to the usual. This is to ensure that the teeth are protected against the bacteria which may calcify in the tartar.
The patients have to keep in mind that the sealant is not the only method that he can use to ward off the cavities and it is not the reasons why you should forget about the right oral care. When the child is prone to the cavities, he can protect the teeth by using fluoride-rich toothpaste.
However, in case the patient thinks that the sealant is highly recommended choice, then he should talk to the dentist.
Dental Sealants Application
Applying dental sealants is an extremely easy and painless procedure. In fact, the whole process only takes a few minutes. The following are the primary steps of dental sealant application:
- Thoroughly cleaning all the teeth that need to be sealed.
- The teeth are properly dried and a cotton or similarly absorbent material is applied around the teeth to prevent moisture buildup.
- An acid solution applied on the chewing surfaces of the teeth roughens them up to make them more receptive to the sealant.
- The teeth are rinsed and dried again.
- The sealant is then applied on the surface of the teeth. It immediately dries and hardens into a teeth sealant. If it doesn’t immediately harden, a curing light is used to artificially harden it over the teeth enamel.
Dental Sealants Insurance Coverage
Dental sealants is usually meant for young children. As such, insurance providers generally only cover the cost of dental sealants on children under the age of 18. However, in some situations, the insurance provider may also cover a percentage of the treatment in adults as well.
Dental Sealants FAQs
Can Dental Sealants be Used on Adults?
Dental sealants are generally used for children. However, in some rare cases, dental sealants are also used on adults who are at risk of developing caries. The dental sealant is then applied on the deep grooves and fissures without fillings.
How do Dental Sealants Appear?
Dental sealants generally look clear and white. In some cases, they may have a slight tint. You can select the dental sealant yourself so it most closely mirrors the color of your own teeth.
Is Using Fluoride solution still necessary after Dental Sealants?
Yes, it’s extremely important to use fluoride solution to protect the surrounding teeth from decay and cavities. Dental sealants can only protect the specific location on which they’re placed — they cannot protect your entire mouth and all of your teeth.
How necessary are Dental Sealants?
Sealants are said to reduce dental decay amongst children. This is because they make it extremely difficult to consume candies and toffees after this treatment. Even though they are proven to work, they are not exactly very necessary since highly recommended defense against tooth decay is better oral hygiene. By taking care of your teeth properly early on, one may not need any dental sealant at all.