A sealant is a dental treatment involving the application of a thin plastic material to one or more teeth to prevent dental cavities and other forms of tooth decay. They are usually painted on the chewing surfaces of the back molar and premolar teeth and are highly effective in the prevention of tooth decay on these areas which hard-to-reach pits and grooves that serve as a host to food debris and dental plaque build-up.
Think of dental sealants as an umbrella. They shade teeth from all the stuff that can rain down on them, from sugar to bacteria to bits of food that get trapped in the teeth.
A dental sealant is a thin coating applied to premolars and molars. This smooth seal is applied over the deep grooves in the chewing surface of the teeth.
The sealant is made of plastic or resin-based material. It’s either white or clear, so no one can tell you have sealant on your teeth. In fact, the sealants are so thin you won’t feel a difference in your mouth, either.
The dental sealants procedure is quick and painless.
First, we clean off the teeth where the sealant is being applied. After the teeth have been dried off, we put a low-acidic solution on the teeth that will help the sealant bond to them.
Then comes the application of the tooth sealant. Our dentist or dental hygienist will paint a thin layer of sealant over each tooth being treated, which will bond with the tooth enamel.
It’s important to get the sealant application dried quickly, especially with kids, who tend to squirm after a few minutes in the chair. We use a curing light that speeds up the drying process. It generally takes less than a minute.
The sealant hardens and then forms a protective barrier between teeth and bacteria.
The entire dental sealants procedure lasts just a few minutes. It takes much less time than getting a filling.
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