Prevent Tooth Decay In Your Kids with Dental Sealants
Protect Your Teeth with Preventative Dentistry Treatments
When you or family members experience frequent tooth decay, it is time to consider protecting the delicate enamel surfaces of teeth with dental sealants. Sealants are designed to cover and protect particular areas of teeth where food collects and is difficult to remove with brushing and flossing. Cosmetic dentists can apply durable color-matching or clear materials to front teeth that have cingulum pits or back teeth that have fissures. In most cases, these sealants are used on the teeth of children who often fail to brush their teeth thoroughly.
Avoid Needing Dental Crowns or Root Canals
The application of sealants is considered a form of preventative dentistry to protect the permanent teeth toward the back of the mouth, and this type of procedure is recommended as soon as the adult molars erupt from the gum tissue. The permanent molars are the most common places for adults, teenagers and children to develop caries that require fillings to protect the interior of the teeth. If you avoid visiting a dentist twice a year, then the size of a cavity can increase, requiring a dental crown or root canal instead.
The Materials Used to Make Sealants
Cosmetic dentists can choose from several types of dental sealants’ materials, including:
• Glass ionomer – contains fluoride and bonds to enamel
• Resin-based – contains fluoride and is cured with light
• Hybrid – a combination of resin-based and glass ionomer
Sealants are designed as temporary protection from tooth decay and last an average of five years. The length of time depends on the wear and tear on a tooth’s surface and the type of materials used to make the sealants. When the sealants begin to degrade, a dentist can remove the substance to apply new materials or leave the dental surface bare.
How to Help Sealants Last Longer
Your sealants will last longer if the materials are mixed and applied correctly by a knowledgeable dentist. Patients with sealants must continue to brush and floss their teeth to remove food and beverage debris. Excess saliva inside the mouth is the major reason that sealants degrade, and if you have too much saliva, then you may need to rinse your mouth more often to remove dangerous acids from dental surfaces.
Schedule an Appointment
To learn more about preventative dentistry to protect teeth from decay and damage, contact our Lenoir NC cosmetic dentist today to schedule an appointment.