Dental Sealants![]() What are dental sealants?Dental sealants are a coating of liquid plastic that we apply to your teeth and that act as a shield for the chewing surface of the molars that we place them on. Dental sealants require only a short amount of time to apply. Before we begin the application process, we make sure that the teeth that will have the sealants are clean and dry. We will treat the teeth with a special acidic solution that removes bacteria and gives the teeth some texture. The sealant is painted onto the surface of the molars and is set in place permanently. How do dental sealants help?The chewing surfaces of your molars are made up of lots of intricate peaks and valleys. The peaks of these molars are easy enough to keep clean, but the valleys can be quite hard to reach. In fact, sometimes the bottom of these valleys are so narrow that even a single bristle of your toothbrush is too wide to reach the base of the valley. If your toothbrush cannot reach to the bottom of a valley in your molar, you can bet that bacteria will start to build up and eventually cause a cavity. Dental sealants fill all of these deep cracks, crevices, and valleys in the chewing surfaces of your molars, and work to protect them from bacteria for years. How long do dental sealants last?Dental sealants can last for up to ten years. With that in mind, it is critical that you come in for regular dental checkups, so that we can examine the state of your dental sealants and repair or reapply them as needed. Who needs dental sealants?Anyone who does not have fillings in the chewing surfaces of their molars can benefit from dental sealants. Typically, kids who have just finished having all their adult molars come in can benefit the most from dental sealants. Kids and teens are at a higher risk for cavities, because they are usually less inclined to take good care of their teeth, and they are more inclined to eat sugary foods and drinks. For this reason, we always suggest that kids and teens have dental sealants applied to the chewing surfaces of their molars. If you are an adult who does not have fillings in your molars, you too can benefit from the protection of dental sealants! |
Hours
Monday: 8am - 12pm Tuesday - Thursday: 8am - 6pm (Lunch hour from 12pm - 2pm) |