Maintaining good oral hygiene with regular flossing, brushing and dental cleaning is essential to keep your teeth healthy. For those people for whom these regular maintenance procedures aren’t enough for perfect dental health, Northeast Dental Center offers dental sealants.
Dental sealants are a plastic coating applied on the chewing surface of a tooth that has deep grooves or fissures. This is mostly done for the back teeth, but can also be done for other teeth where grooves are found.
Fissures and grooves on the surface of a tooth cause food to get stuck. These become very hard to clean since the bristles of a toothbrush might not be able to get into such a small space. This further leads to bacterial growth and becomes a cause for tooth decay.
A dental sealant provides an extra level of protection covering fissures and grooves on the surface of the tooth, which prevents bacteria and food from getting inside.
Getting a dental sealant for your teeth at Northeast Dental Center starts with an assessment of your teeth. If it is determined that you need sealants, rest assured that the process only takes a few minutes per tooth and is painless. We use only white or clear sealants so they do not look different from the rest of your teeth.
The procedure starts with preparing the teeth for the application of the dental sealant. Plaque and bits of food stuck in the groove are removed, and the teeth are then polished.
Once the tooth dries, the surface is etched with an etching material. The material is rinsed off, and once the tooth dries, the dental sealant is applied to the fissures using a brush. The sealant is bonded to the tooth surface using a specially designed light.
The appearance and condition of the sealant are then checked to ensure that there is proper contact between the chewing surfaces of the upper and lower teeth. The procedure is complete once the sealant has hardened. You can now use your teeth for chewing with the added protection of the sealant.
Mostly, kids require sealants at the age of 12 or so, since that is the time when they get their first permanent back teeth. Sealants are recommended for molars immediately after they erupt. The other permanent teeth and the temporary back teeth are also examined for deep fissures and sealants are installed on them if necessary.
Adults may require sealants on the grooves of teeth which do not have fillings yet. Their existing sealants may also need replacement.
Do you have adolescent children who may need sealants? Or would you like to get your own teeth checked to know if you need new sealants or if your old ones need replacement? Call us today on (215) 552-9800. At Northeast Dental Center, we offer you the best care for your teeth.
