Building Confidence With Dental Beauty

The dental needs of children can be a healthcare need that is easy to overlook as parents may not be fully aware of the various procedures and treatments that their children may require. Pediatric dental sealants are an effective preventive treatment that parents may not always fully appreciate.

How Do Dental Sealants Help To Protect Your Child's Teeth?

Dental sealants are able to greatly reduce the risk of your child's teeth developing cavities. They accomplish this by forming a layer over the enamel of the teeth that will be able to resist bacteria, plaque and other potential sources of decay. The protection that a dental sealant is able to provide will not be impervious as the sealant can eventually degrade.

Will These Sealants Protect All Of Your Child's Teeth?

In most instances, dental sealants are not applied to all of the teeth. This is usually limited to the back teeth as they will sustain the most wear from chewing, and the various grooves in the chewing surface of these teeth can make it easy for plaque to get trapped. Furthermore, the application of these sealants is usually limited to the actual chewing surface of the tooth, which will mean the sides of the tooth will not have this additional protection.

Is It Necessary To Wait For Your Child's Adult Teeth To Fully Develop?

Due to the fact that many children have poor dental hygiene habits and techniques, it can be advised to have these sealants applied to both your child's baby and adult teeth. While it may not seem like protecting the adolescent teeth with these sealants is worth the effort, severe decay of your child's baby teeth can have lasting impacts as it may affect the development of the adult teeth. Luckily, the process of applying a sealant is not a lengthy process, which can make this experience easier for both the child and the parent.

Can Teeth That Have Previously Received Fillings To Be Sealed?

Unfortunately, it can be common for children to develop cavities. If a tooth has previously needed a filling, it will likely not be a candidate for dental sealants. This is due to the fact that the sealant will not be able to fully bond to the filling. It may be possible to apply the sealant to the portions of the tooth around the filling, but the dentist will need to examine the tooth to determine if a sealant is an effective option.