How Sealants Can Protect Your Child's Smile

Although flossing and brushing can eliminate some plaque and stuck food particles from your tooth surfaces, they can’t always completely clean those deeper and smaller crevices in the back teeth. This is especially true for smaller children who are still learning how to brush their teeth properly. Fortunately, dental sealants can safeguard these very susceptible areas from damage due to decay by effectively sealing out all those food particles and plaque. Here at the Lorain, OH, office of your family dentist, Dr. Jennifer Robb, we use sealants to keep the teeth of both children and adults in top shape.

What are Dental Sealants?

Basically, a dental sealant is an extremely strong and thin plastic coating that can be applied on the teeth’s chewing surfaces, which are located in the molars and premolars, to protect against decay. Once applied, it will bond quickly to the teeth’s grooves and depressions to form a protective layer over each tooth’s enamel.

Who Can Receive Sealants?

Dentists usually recommend sealants for children and teens because they have an increased risk of developing decay due to inadequate oral hygiene practices. However, adults can likewise receive sealants to further protect their teeth. Oftentimes, children must receive dental sealants on all their permanent premolars and molars once these teeth erupt. This way, the sealant will provide extra protection during the cavity-prone ages of six to 14.

If your baby’s temporary teeth have deeper than normal nooks and crevices, you can also opt to protect these teeth with dental sealants. Since baby or temporary teeth play an immensely crucial role in ensuring that your child's permanent teeth will come in in their proper positions, it’s vital to keep these teeth in place until they are naturally ready to be replaced with permanent teeth.

How are Dental Sealants Applied?

Application is a painless and very straightforward process. During a visit to our Lorain office, your family dentist will generally follow these simple steps:

• The teeth will be thoroughly cleaned and kept as dry as possible by placing cotton around the teeth that need sealing.
• An acid solution will be applied on all the teeth’s chewing surfaces, which will help make them rougher, and therefore, more adherent.
• The solution will then be rinsed out thoroughly.
• Once the teeth are sufficiently dry, the sealant will be applied to each tooth. All you have to do is to wait for it to harden and you’re done.

Want to Find Out More About Dental Sealants?

Book your consultation date with our family dentist, Dr. Jennifer Robb, here at our Lorain, OH, practice by dialing (440) 960-1940.