Dental sealants are recommended for children at Gentle Family Dentistry: Mark D Jones DMD to protect teeth from decay. Tooth decay, dental caries, and cavities are all synonymous for irreversible damage to the natural tooth. Teeth can be repaired when they have decay, but the part of the tooth that was lost cannot be recovered. According to the CDC, once children reach adulthood at age 18, over half of the children in the United States will have had tooth decay. If tooth decay is not prevented or is left untreated, it can lead to more detrimental problems for dental health and overall health.
Many parents wonder what can be done to help prevent cavities. Good at-home preventative care should be employed on a daily basis. You should teach your child to brush twice a day with fluoridated toothpaste as a minimum and to floss at least once. Unfortunately, even with good oral hygiene practices, decay can still develop. Some children have teeth that are more prone to cavities than others, at no fault of their own. For an extra layer of protection in these situations, we offer dental sealants. Dental sealants are a thin film coated onto the crowns (or chewing surface) of your child’s teeth to serve as extra protection against decay.
Gentle Family Dentistry: Mark D Jones DMD dental sealants are a safe and effective way to help prevent decay from occurring, especially if your child already has great oral hygiene habits. Dental sealants should not be used as a substitute for good dental care at home. Not only are our dental sealants effective, but they are also incredibly affordable. Many parents opt to have dental sealants placed on their child’s teeth as a preventative measure, not only for cavities but also to avoid paying extra dental filling costs later. Our dental sealants can help protect your child’s teeth for five to 10 years, and teeth can easily be re-sealed after this time period. Sealants help teeth to be 100 percent effective against cavities when used in conjunction with regular brushing, flossing, and dentist visits.
Dental sealants are easy to apply to teeth, so your child won’t have to sit in the dentist chair for hours. Before the sealant is placed, we will give your child’s teeth a thorough cleaning to remove any plaque that may act as a barrier against the sealant adhering properly. We will then use a gentle acid solution to etch the superficial surface of enamel on the teeth to allow for better settling in of the dental sealant. The etching is not harmful to your child’s teeth. After cleaning and etching, a rubber dam will be placed around teeth to be sealed to keep saliva from inhibiting the application process. We will then “paint” the dental sealant over each tooth and allow it to settle, dry, and cure.
Following this simple dental sealant application, your child’s teeth will immediately be reinforced against the harmful substances that cause decay. To learn more about why we recommend dental sealants for children, call or visit Gentle Family Dentistry: Mark D Jones DMD.