Sealants
You could have obtained sealant treatment if you previously underwent a dental procedure. It is a short and straightforward treatment that many patients are unaware of. Sealants are tiny plastic coatings painted on the surface of the teeth to help prevent deterioration and secure the underlying tooth.
Sealants easily bind with the surface of teeth when they are applied. This plastic covering protects the enamel on the chewing and grinding surfaces of the teeth. This procedure is typically performed on the flatter back teeth, such as molars and premolars, to better shield them from bacteria accumulation between the cusps of the teeth.
Though brushing and flossing are good at eliminating most food and sugar particles, your back teeth have several areas where plaque can occur. Sealants secure these weak points by “sealing” the tooth and preventing this accumulation from ever touching our enamel.
In addition to providing smile makeovers to residents of Long Beach and the surrounding areas, we also provide the following general dentistry services in Long Beach: Dental Cleanings and X-Rays, Cavities, Wisdom Teeth / Oral Surgery, Endodontic Surgery, Mouthguards, Nightguards, TMD Treatment, Emergency Dental Care, Sedation Dentistry, and Fluoride Treatment.
Although sealants are relatively simple to implement, they are not necessary for all patients. Sealants are traditionally done to children and teenagers when they first have their premolars and molars. This helps to preserve an individual’s teeth during their cavity-prone years. Dentists may also apply sealants to the mouths of adults that have tooth decay or fillings in their molars.
A dentist can also apply sealants to a patient’s baby teeth to keep those teeth intact and assist in the proper growth of their adult teeth in some cases. Baby teeth are vital for holding space for adult teeth, and early baby tooth loss may necessitate extra spacing or positioning as the adult teeth erupt.
The procedure for applying sealants is straightforward and painless. However, correct sealant positioning necessitates a few precautions to ensure that they conform correctly to the teeth and do not seal in any bacteria beneath.
- Thorough cleaning – The teeth which would be sealed should be properly brushed first. This ensures that no cavity-causing microbes are allowed under the sealant and provides a strong surface for the sealant to adhere to.
- Dry the tooth – If the tooth is wet, the sealant will not apply correctly to the tooth. Each tooth will be dried, and a strip of cotton or another cloth will be wrapped around it to keep it dry.
- Roughing the surface – The smoothness of your tooth does not have a suitable surface for the sealant to apply to, so an acid solution is applied to the tooth, giving it a rougher feel and more surface area, allowing the sealant to better adhere to the tooth.
- Rinse and dry – To remove the acid solution, the tooth is rinsed and cleaned.
- Paint the tooth – After that, the sealant is brushed onto the tooth enamel, where it attaches to the tooth. A specialized light is often used to cure the sealant and solidify the protective layer.
Sealants do not survive indefinitely. They are expected to run for ten years. However, some patients may notice that their sealants crack or break off before that time, which is why it is important to maintain routine dental appointments to check the sealants regularly and fix any problems that may arise.
Dental sealants are an excellent way to provide another layer of protection to the teeth. Sealants are thin plastic coating that are applied to the enamel of molars and premolars to prevent sugars and bacteria from touching the tooth’s surface. If you’re thinking of getting sealants, call us right away to set up an appointment to find out if they’re right for you.
