What are dental sealants, and why are they important?

Dental sealants are thin plastic coatings painted onto the deep grooves of the molars in children and teens. Tooth decay forms when harmful bacteria feed on starches and sugars in the mouth, secreting acid that causes the erosion of tooth enamel. The hard, outer layer of teeth, enamel protects the soft, inner layer called dentin. Sealants protect against cavities by keeping food particles and harmful oral bacteria out of the hard to clean areas of teeth. Because cavities in children and adolescents usually form on the chewing surfaces of molars, sealants can help prevent tooth decay in younger patients.

How are sealants applied, and are they noticeable?

Sealants are relatively easy to apply. We will first clean your children’s teeth. We will then condition the surfaces of teeth with a special gel. After washing and drying each tooth, we then paint the sealants on with a brush. The process takes only a few minutes for each tooth. (more…)