Sealants can help preserve a
child’s smile for a lifetime. Though
dental sealants are not a cure-all in preventing tooth decay, they are
cost-effective and helpful to patients – particularly children – in controlling
decay in the back teeth with grooves.
Sealants are valuable in
preventing decay because they seal the tooth grooves which are virtually
impossible to clean effectively. Even a
single toothbrush bristle cannot reach all the way into the depressions and grooves
to extract food particles, bacteria and plaque.
In this painless procedure, a
solution is applied to the chewing surface of the tooth to condition the enamel
and help it bond more effectively to the sealant material. The tooth is thoroughly washed and dried. Then the sealant material is applied and
allowed to harden, sometimes using ultraviolet light. The procedure takes only a few minutes.
Depending on your chewing
pattern, the sealant effect can last many years. Even though sealant material is durable, at
subsequent dental appointments we make sure the sealant material is
intact. Occasionally, we might need to
replace or add a new layer of sealant material to keep the protective barrier
strong and effective.
For more information about
sealants and other dental topics visit DrTav.com
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