What Are the Dental Sealants for Teeth?

The teeth tend to lose their natural shine and vitality with regular usage. Regular brushing and flossing can save your teeth from further damage. Modern dentistry provides significant aspects to improve your teeth’s aesthetic value and maintain the structure and functionality of natural teeth. Dental sealants are a part of both cosmetic dentistry and preventive dentistry.

What are Dental Sealants?

Although regular brushing and flossing can improve oral health and remove the food particles stuck between the teeth, they cannot go into the crannies of the teeth and the back portion where plaque can get accumulated. Here comes the utility of dental sealants.

Dental sealants are wafer-thin plastic coating placed on the chewing surface of the teeth to protect the teeth from further damage discoloration and improve the aesthetic value. The dental sealants are custom-made and applied in a semi-solid form to bond quickly into the depressions and grooves of the teeth, forming a protective cover over the enamel.

Can Dental Sealants Prevent from Cavities?

Dental sealants form a protective cover over the chewing surface and the enamel of the teeth. Dentists near you might suggest getting dental sealants as a painless way to prevent cavities. Cavities and caries are common among children who do not follow a regular hygienic oral regime.

Cavities might set in the children’s temporary and permanent teeth, and the back teeth are more prone to be subjected to cavities. The back teeth contain more grooves, and the chances of food particles being stuck in them are high. Even regular brushing might not yield desired results.

Dental sealants, once applied, can protect against 80% chances of cavities for the first 2 years, and the protection diminishes to about 50% for the next 4 years. A recent study reveals that applying dental sealants in schools can save up to $300 million in dental treatment costs in the near future. Applying dental sealants can also eliminate the need for expensive dental treatments like a dental crown or dental filling.

Who Should Get Dental Sealants?

Dental sealants are more apt for those who are prone to getting cavities. Children and teenagers are the best candidates for dental sealants due to their high likelihood of developing decay in the molars and premolars. The children’s teeth are developing with numerous grooves and depressions. Even regular oral care is inadequate to remove the plaque and food particles. Dental sealants are the best way to protect teeth from cavities.

Dentist in SE Calgary, AB, suggests children between the ages of 6 to 14 get dental sealants to protect the teeth from damage and cavities. Often dental sealants can be beneficial for babies too. Baby teeth also have depressions and grooves. Dental sealants can protect the baby’s teeth from caries.

Will It Hurt to Get Dental Sealants?

Applying dental sealants is a non-invasive process, and dentists offering sealants in Calgary, AB, only takes a few minutes to use the sealants. Before the dental sealant is applied, the dentist or hygienist cleans the teeth thoroughly. Then each tooth is dried individually by applying cotton or other material to absorb the saliva or moisture. Often an absorbent material is put around the tooth to keep it dry.

Once the teeth are dried thoroughly, the teeth surface is roughened up using a corrosive or acidic solution to properly bond the dental sealant. Finally, the molten dental sealant is painted on the biting surface of the teeth and bonds directly with the enamel. Sometimes, special blue light is applied to harden the sealants.

The application of dental sealants is a painless procedure, and no surgeries are involved. There might be minute discomfort while cleaning the teeth’s surface before application of the dental sealants. It is better to consult your dentist before going for dental sealants.

You may book an appointment with Meadows View Dental to avail variety of dental services to keep our patient’s teeth looking and feeling great. We accept walk-in appointments, and for the convenience of our patients, we offer [free parking space. We also offer wisdom teeth extraction, dental implants, and comprehensive dental examination. With over 15 years of experience and multi-lingual staff, we ensure that you get best available treatment for your dental ailments.