Dental Sealants- simple but underused treatment

DENTAL SEALANTS- SIMPLE BUT UNDERUSED TREATMENT

Dental sealants are thin, clear coatings that seal over the narrow pits and grooves found on the chewing surfaces of back teeth (molars and premolars). These pits, fissures and grooves are the major sites where bacteria and nutrients harbors which in turn results in tooth decay, hence sealants are used to fill tooth pits, fissures and grooves which are challenging to clean, and provides tooth a smooth and easy to clean surface which is beneficial for the oral health of the patient. Dental sealants prevent almost 80 percent of the cavities for two years after its application, It continues to protect the teeth against 50 percent of the cavities for another four years, It usually lasts for almost 10 years but can last longer. It is simple and effective and economical, still this simple treatment is still widely underused despite of having substantial evidences proving its efficacy in preventing and even stopping non-cavitated pit-and-fissure carious lesions. There are few misconceptions that are seen standing in the way of a quick, safe, effective treatment.  Department of Pediatric Dentistry in Saraswati Dental College understands that dental sealants are the optimal way to keep kids from getting cavities. However, the application of dental sealants needs an experienced pediatric dentist unless teenagers are receiving them.

2    2. An acid solution is put on the chewing surface of each molar to create a rough er surface for the sealant to bond to.

3.   3. This is then rinsed and the teeth again dried.

4.     4. Sealant is painted onto the tooth and a curing light is used to harden the sealant.

We at Saraswati Dental College, recommend that any of our patients who are children and teenagers with even moderate grooves receive sealants. This protects the teeth during the most cavity-prone years, ages six to 14. Adults can also get sealants on their molars that haven’t developed any decay and are without fillings.