If you could use a tiny paint brush to help protect
your child’s tooth from getting a cavity, you would, wouldn’t you? That is how simple it is for Dr. Booth and
our Dental Hygienists to apply a dental sealant.
Okay, there is a little more to it than
just painting, but the great developments in modern dental materials make it
feel that easy!
Dental sealant material
is made up of a specially formulated dental resin designed to adhere to tooth enamel and
fill in the tiny grooves and pits on the chewing surface of teeth. Young molars and premolars are notorious for
having deep crevices where bacteria love to hide; it is often impossible to
clean these areas with normal tooth brushing.
Sealants create a smooth, cleansible surface that is easier for your
child to take care of.
When your child’s permanent first molars
are fully erupted, we will talk with you about dental sealants during our
dental examination. The procedure can
usually be completed during the same visit:
- We lightly polish the tooth to clean it and then apply the sealant material using an etch-adhesive bonding process. There is no drilling or shots!
- Our special dental light hardens the material and Dr. Booth checks the sealant to make sure it does not interfere with normal biting and chewing.
Dental professionals and researchers have recommended
sealants for years and most parents today have had dental sealants during their
lifetime. While no preventive treatment
is a complete guarantee against dental disease, dental sealants have beaten the
odds for decades.
Please Contact Us to learn more about
preventive dental care in our Huntsville, AL dental office. We would love to help you and your child have
healthy, beautiful smiles!
