Dental sealants as Remedies for Tooth Cavities
You might develop dental cavities due to tooth decay. However, if you don’t seek professional dental care, you might be at risk of developing complications. If you have tooth cavities, you might experience dental problems such as root canal infection, gum infection, bone, and tooth loss.
Therefore, if you have tooth cavities, you should seek early treatments to prevent their progression. At the dental clinic, the dentist will offer treatments for your dental cavities depending on their sizes. For dental cavities in their early stages, the dentist might recommend tooth sealants.
What Are Tooth sealants?
Tooth sealants are preventive dentistry treatment options that dentists use to cover teeth surfaces. Such treatments target tooth surfaces with small holes due to decay. A tooth sealant is a thin coating that the dentist applies over the site of treatment, covering the cavity.
When applying tooth sealants, the liquid bonds with the grooves, forming a protective shield on the enamels. By covering the pits on your teeth, tooth sealants prevent the progression of tooth decay and damage by micro-organisms.
Reasons for Getting Tooth Sealants
When you have dental cavities, your teeth might be at risk of complications, feel pain or discomfort when chewing, and experience low self-esteem. Therefore, you can get tooth sealants for the following reasons:
- Preventing the development and progression of dental cavities
- Improving the structure, color, and teeth aesthetics
- Reducing or preventing pain and discomfort when chewing
Who Is a Good Candidate for Dental Sealants?
Kids have habits that increase their risks of developing tooth decay and dental cavities. Therefore, kids are eligible candidates for tooth sealants. However, even adults without dental fillings or tooth decay on their molars can benefit from tooth sealants.
Children also have grooves on their molars. When they eat sticky and sugary foods, debris sticks in the grooves. Bacteria work on the sugars, forming acids that corrode the enamels. Corroding the enamel surfaces increases the risk of decay and the formation of dental cavities.
Therefore, your dentist might recommend tooth sealants for your child when the premolars and molars erupt. However, tooths sealants might be appropriate for milk teeth with grooves. Although the milk teeth will eventually fall off, dental sealants will help prevent dental problems such as gum infections and bone loss.
Procedure for Getting Sealants
Before getting tooth sealants, your dentist will examine your teeth to ensure they are suitable treatments. During the consultation, your dentist will physically examine the teeth and recommend dental x-rays to check the severity. If the dental cavities are deep, the dentist might recommend dental fillings or crowns.
Next, the dentist will prepare your teeth by eliminating any signs of decay. After removing the decayed parts, your dentist will thoroughly clean the teeth. Your dentist will then dry each tooth and place cotton or any other absorbent to keep them dry.
The dentist might apply an etching material on the teeth surfaces to roughen them. Roughening the chewing surfaces helps the sealant material adhere to your enamels. However, not all types of tooth sealants require etching.
After etching, the dentist will rinse and dry the teeth. Next, the dentist will apply the sealing material on the teeth surfaces. Sometimes, the sealant material bonds on its own.However, other times the dentist might use a laser to harden it.
How Long Do Tooth Sealants Last?
Tooth sealants can last on teeth surfaces for up to ten years. However, you can consider regular check-ups. During the dental check-ups, the dentist will check for cracks, chips and repair the damaged sealants.
Also, tooth decay might develop under your sealants. During the dental check-ups, your dentist can diagnose the problems through dental x-rays. Early diagnosis facilitates treatments, preventing further complications.
To increase the lifespan of your tooth sealants, at Union Ave Dental, we recommend the following:
- Brush your teeth gently twice daily using fluoride toothpaste and replace your toothbrush at least every two months
- Floss your teeth at least once a day to remove plaque and tartar between your teeth
- Avoid grinding or clenching your teeth since it can lead to chipping
- Wear a mouthguard if you have bruxism or play contact sports to prevent damaging your sealants
- Visit your dentist regularly for dental exams and cleanings
- Avoid chewing or biting on hard objects