Maintaining oral health requires daily brushing, flossing, and regular visits to the dentist. However, people who maintain their oral health can also suffer from cavities and other oral problems. Dental sealants are a valuable tool that acts as a barrier and fight against tooth decay. Although dental sealants are used to treat children, they are also effective for adult patients as well.
Dental sealants prevent 80% of cavities for two years after application and also continue to protect against 50% of cavities for up to four years.
What are dental sealants?
Dental sealant is a plastic coating painted on the back teeth (the premolars and molars) to prevent tooth decay or cavities. The sealant bonds into the grooves of your teeth and acts a protective shield over the enamel of each tooth. Though brushing and flossing help to remove food particles and plaque from the smooth surface of your teeth, you cannot reach every nooks and cranny of the back teeth to remove the plaque and food particles. Dental sealants help protect your teeth from tooth decay from sealing out plaque and food.
How are sealants applied?
Applying sealants is a simple procedure, and it takes only a few minutes for a dentist in Parramatta to apply the sealant to each tooth.
- The dentist in Parramatta will first clean the teeth, and each tooth is dried to keep it dry.
- An acid solution is put on the chewing surfaces of the teeth to harden them which help the sealants to bond well to the teeth.
- Then, the teeth are rinsed and dried.
- Finally, the sealant is painted onto the tooth enamel where it bonds directly to the tooth and hardens.
How long do sealants last?
Dental sealants can protect your teeth from cavities for up to 10 years. However, you need to visit your dentist and check for chipping or wearing. Your dentist can replace sealants if required.
Why get dental sealants?
The cost of treating cavities can be expensive, especially if you don’t have dental insurance. In most of the cases, applying dental sealants early will cost less than pursuing corrective treatment later.
Tooth decay can lead to several oral health issues and if the cavities are filled, the health and strength of your tooth are compromised. As with all oral issues, it is better to avoid them rather than treat them. Rather suffering from cavities you could get dental sealants and protect your teeth.
The great thing about dental sealants is it is a hassle-free procedure. It causes no pain or discomfort during the procedure. That is good news for the kids who hate dental visits.
Be it dental sealant, teeth whitening or wisdom teeth removal in Parramatta ; visit the cosmetic dentist Parramatta as early as possible.
