Dental treatments such as fillings and crowns are great options for restoring teeth that have already experienced decay. But did you know there is an option to prevent decay in the first place with a restoration called dental sealants? This process fills in the ridges and grooves in your teeth and provides extra protection against cavities. Our Chicago, IL, dentist explains more here!
Sealants are simply a thin plastic coating applied to the top of the teeth. This coating fills in the ridges and grooves in your molars, creating a smooth surface that makes it easier to brush away food and debris. Since the grooves in your molars generally get deeper and narrower as you get older, sealants are generally recommended for children and teenagers to maintain the surface of the teeth, especially if they have extra deep grooves in their molars. Our dentist will go over your case and determine if you are a good candidate for dental sealants during your consultation.
Allowing the ridges in the molars to stay uncovered, bacteria can become trapped and food can get wedged inside, leading to tooth decay. Sealants can prevent this.
Applying sealants to the teeth is a simple process. First, our dentist will clean and dry your teeth. A solution will be placed on your teeth to roughen the surface up to allow the sealant to bond before rinsing and drying them again. The sealant will then be applied to the tooth enamel and allowed to harden. The result is a smooth surface that offers extra protection for your smile!
Dental sealants do not generally cause any complications. They can last up to 10 years if cared for and cleaned properly! While dental sealants do wear away over time, they provide years of tooth decay prevention and easy brushing.
The information provided in this article is not meant to be medical advice and is for educational purposes only. If you would like to learn more about this and other topics related to dentistry, feel free to contact Dente Complete Dentistry, with a convenient dental office in Chicago, IL, by calling 773.295.0562 or by clicking here.