Dental sealants are not a cure-all in preventing tooth decay. However, they are cost-effective and helpful to patients – particularly children – in controlling decay in certain areas of the mouth. Sealants are not designed to be permanent like cavity fillings. Instead, they support weak teeth until they gain the strength to handle the force of chewing on their own.
What are dental sealants made of?
A dental sealant is an acrylic-like material that helps shield out decay-causing bacteria from the chewing surfaces of back teeth. Unlike fillings that restore teeth that have developed holes and cavities, dental sealants coating the surface of teeth. We base our diagnosis and recommendation for sealants on the patient’s susceptibility to tooth decay and how the teeth were shaped when they originally formed below the gum.
What does the procedure look Like?
There is no specific age at which sealants are indicated, but we often will recommend that the best time to apply them is when the six-year molars appear. The sealants is applied, followed by exposure to UV light that hardens the material for protection when chewing. After the hardening, the bite of your mouth is aligned before the finished tooth is polished and smoothed out for comfort.