Thin plastic coverings, known as dental sealants, are painted on the chewing surfaces of teeth. This sealant rapidly fuses with the teeth and provides extra protection over each tooth’s enamel. To avoid tooth decay, it is primarily considered for the teeth on the back side of the mouth.
The smooth surfaces of your teeth can be cleaned with brushing and flossing, but they often miss the crevices at the rear of the teeth where food debris and plaque can hide. These areas are protected from dental decay by a sealant.
The Process of Getting Tooth Sealants
It is a simple and painless process. While applying dental sealants, our dentist in St. Albert will:
- Thoroughly clean the teeth that need to be sealed.
- Dry the teeth thoroughly, then wrap each tooth in cotton or another absorbent substance to ensure it stays dry.
- Applying an acid solution to the biting surface of the teeth will roughen it up and aid in the sealant’s bonding.
- Rinse and dry your teeth.
- Paint the sealant on the dental enamel so that it can harden and bond with the tooth. The sealant can sometimes be helped to set by using a specialized curing light.
Sealants can prevent tooth cavities for up to ten years, but our dentist must regularly examine them to ensure they are not chipping or wearing down. If required, our dentist can recommend you replace the sealants.
Advantages of Dental Sealants
1. Prevent Cavities
Dental sealants use “tooth-coloured” plastic to cover the molar’s tip and shield it from decay. Dental sealants are placed on teeth without causing any pain or altering the surface of the teeth. This additional layer makes it difficult for bacteria to remain on the surface of teeth.
2. Reduce Deep Grooves
Molars are challenging to clean because they have deeper groves and depressions on the surface. Despite your best efforts, your toothbrush’s bristles may only sometimes be able to reach all the grooves and valleys on the chewing surfaces of your teeth. Plaque and food fragments gather in the most difficult-to-reach places on the teeth. These extensive fissures will eventually cause a tooth to become quite degraded. Additionally, it is simpler for bacteria and food particles to accumulate in these deep regions. Dental sealants near you can stop cavities from forming in these prone places.
3. Quick and Painless Process
Applying sealants is a simple procedure. The teeth have been cleaned and are ready to apply the sealant material. A mild solution with an intensity akin to lemon juice or vinegar is used to clean teeth. To aid the sealant material’s adequate bonding to the tooth, this roughens the surface of each tooth. After the tooth has been cleaned and prepped, an acrylic sealant is then applied to the teeth. A tooth’s depressions or grooves can be filled in by the sealant material, which can flow into them. Following the 1-2 minute solidifying period, the teeth will be sealed and shielded from bacteria accumulating in the pits and grooves.
4. Durable
The regions of your mouth most vulnerable to cavities will be protected by sealants. They can last for many years if they are adequately maintained. If you practice excellent oral hygiene and refrain from biting hard items, sealants will last longer. During routine dental checkups, our dentist will check the sealants and, if required, may suggest reapplication or repair.
If you are looking for dental sealants, contact our expert dentist at Dentus Family Dental, who offers quality dental care treatment for you and your family. Dental sealants do an excellent job of protecting your teeth from cavities, and they are more cost-effective than other restorative options.
Contact our professional dentist near you and schedule your consultation today!