Sealants are a risk free and pain free way of safeguarding your kids teeth from decay.
These are normally placed on the biting areas of back teeth and act as a shield on them akin to a frozen puddle stopping any food debris and plaque bacteria from sitting in the grooves and crevices causing tooth decay.
They are done on the premolars and molar teeth depending on whether the teeth are deemed to be at risk from decay especially if the naturally occurring pits and grooves are deep. Shallow groves that can be cleaned with the aid of a tooth brush are not always sealed. I can usually advise. They are usually applied to teeth that have recently fully erupted either at 6 or 7 years old or between 11 and 14 years. The procedure is quite simple and straight forward and can be done without the aid of an anaesthetic injection. The surface of the tooth is cleaned out following which a special solution is applied to the surface of the tooth. This is then ‘cured’ or hardened by the use of a ‘blue’ light for a few seconds.
The treated teeth will probably feel a bit smoother afterwards but there should be no discomfort.
They can last for several years and will need to checked by your dentist to make sure they are providing a good seal if not they can be replaced or added to as needed.The treated teeth still should and need to be cleaned but they may feel smoother allowing the toothbrush to clean them well.
Sealants may mean that your children will end up with fewer larger fillings later on. Please ask us at your next check up for this easy and pain free way of helping to protect your children’s teeth.