Sealants For Teeth: Procedure And Lifespan
Dental sealants are applied on the molars’ chewing surfaces to prevent cavities development. Although brushing your teeth is essential dental sealants are a better way to prevent children from developing cavities on their molars. Dental sealants are a thin coating of plastic painted on the chewing surfaces of children to protect them from cavities.
Getting dental sealants painted on the molars is affordable, and some insurance companies and discount plans also reduce the costs. This trend is gaining traction because fewer than 50 percent of children have dental sealants. Experts think dental sealants are safe and effective, as they have been for four decades.
What Does Research Reveal about Sealants?
A report from the CDC confirms that dental sealants defend against 80 percent of cavities for two years after an application, and the protection remains ongoing against 50 percent of holes for another four. In addition, the adhesives stay on the teeth for up to 9 years, confirming the significant lifespan.
Approximately 43 percent of children between six and 11 have dental sealants. Children from lower-income households are 20 percent less likely to have sealants can children belonging to higher-income families. Dental sealants are the most conservative and non-invasive treatment in dentistry. They confirm experts are mentioning they must be monitored and maintained during routine appointments to ensure they don’t wear off.
Dental sealants are technically sensitive to their application, making it essential to have children’s teeth by experienced practitioners providing them, like the pediatric dentist in Milford, CT. Unfortunately, getting the sealants on children’s teeth from an inexperienced provider might not deliver excellent success rates.
The Procedure for Getting Dental Sealants on Children’s Teeth
The dental sealant procedure is painless and will likely not cause discomfort to children. However, they must sit with their mouths open until the dentist prepares their teeth for the application.
Before applying dental sealants in Milford, CT, the pediatric dentist cleans and dries the targeted teeth with absorbent material. Next, the teeth are applied with an etching solution to help the sealant adhere to the tooth before it is cleaned and dried with the same absorbent material. Finally, the dental sealant is painted on the molars to create a smoother surface, making them efficient for dental cleaning.
Why Get Dental Sealants on Children’s Teeth?
When your child develops molars, the new teeth have pits and fissures, making them beneficial to seal after they emerge. The molars generally erupt between six and 12, but dentists can seal baby teeth as long as the child is old to tolerate this painless procedure. The child must not move during the application and sit with their mouth open for a few minutes. Dental sealants function optimally on any teeth, although retention is better in the pits and fissures of molars.
Adults can also consider getting their molars sealed with dental sealants if they don’t have restorations. Teeth with restorations do not benefit from dental sealants.
Children need dental sealants on their molars that are challenging to clean by brushing and flossing. In addition, they often become victims of cavities developing on them because they frequently indulge in sugary and starchy beverages that remain on chewing surfaces, making them vulnerable to cavities.
In addition, children with tooth decay report losing school time because it interferes with their sleeping, eating, and other activities. Sealants, besides preventing cavities, also ensure children’s teeth remain intact. Drilled and filled teeth become compromised, resulting in a lifetime cost to maintain or restore them.
Although dental sealants have a lifespan of nine years, they may need reapplication if they chip or wear off. However, if children receive dental sealants near you from an experienced dentist using proper application techniques, they can last for a lifetime. Unfortunately, they need replacement more often than not.
Dental sealants are tooth colored and will likely not impact your child’s aesthetics and act against the harmful bacteria that often result in dental plaque formation to cause enamel erosion resulting in cavities. Instead of allowing your child to endure painful tooth decay or treatments from dentists, dental sealants help them better by protecting their molars by making it easier for them to clean their teeth comfortably. Therefore, if your child is unprotected, consider arranging an appointment with Big Smiles Pediatric Dentistry to protect their molars with dental sealants.