Your child’s daily routine involves brushing and flossing, hopefully twice a day; but if the word cavity continues to be a part of your dental office visit, then dental sealants might be a great option for your child. Even when brushing and flossing regularly, complete removal of plaque from the deep grooves of back teeth, molars and bicuspids is extremely difficult. A sealant is a plastic material which is applied to the surface of these back teeth to cover those grooves. The sealant protects the tooth’s enamel from damaging plaque and acids and helps to “seal out” decay.
How is it applied?
Sealants can be quickly and easily applied in our office by Dr. Petrusha or our hygienists Cindy or Laurie. First, the teeth are cleaned. Then, to help the sealant adhere to the tooth’s surface, an etching solution is placed on the chewing surfaces. Lastly, the sealant material is applied onto the tooth enamel, where it bonds to the tooth and hardens. Often, a special light is used to help cure or harden the sealant. The whole process only takes a few minutes for each tooth.