Surprising Facts on What Dental Sealants Can Do!

Dental sealants are thin layers of plastic applied to the teeth, in particular to the back teeth as they are more prone to tooth decay because of their location. The sealants prevent bacteria from settling on the tooth, causing tooth decay. Read lumineers reviews if you had interested in this cosmetic dental procedure.

Tooth sealant and BPA (Bisophenol A, a chemical potentially mimicking human oestrogen) have been in the news as the possible toxicity of dental sealants was questioned. No etch dental sealants (the applying of dental sealants without a chemical treatment to make the tooth surface rougher before applying the plastic film), make the application of sealants a care free and safe procedure for teeth.

When Should Dental Sealants Be Placed on Teeth?

Sealants are usually applied to children's' teeth. There is no specific age for this procedure, but children should be old enough to understand the procedure and must be able to cooperate. The tooth can only be treated if it has fully erupted through the gums. Adults can also have sealants applied but this is less common as there is less need to do it. Adults are more capable of maintaining a good standard of dental hygiene.

Sealants are applied to teeth with naturally deep grooves and edges, to protect the tooth and teeth with these shapes are more likely to collect bacteria and food traces, causing tooth decay.

On Which Teeth are Sealants Placed?

The back teeth are usually treated, especially the molars. These teeth have more pits and grooves for plaque to build up in. The possibility and need for this treatment varies per person, as the shape of teeth differs so much per teeth. Pit and fissure sealants are the most common types of sealants, lining the teeth with deeper 'pits' to ensure that the tooth will not develop cavities as a result of settling bacteria.

Procedure for Placing Dental Sealants

The tooth that is to be treated will be cleaned and rinsed properly before any treatment starts. To ensure dental sealant safety, the tooth has to be clean or the plastic film that is to be painted on will not hold. The tooth will be dried thoroughly after washing it. A special solution is applied to the tooth, to make the tooth surface rough, after which the liquid plastic, making up the sealant, is applied to the tooth. After a short hardening time, the sealant is fixed.

With no etch dental sealants, the treatment with a solution to 'etch' the tooth (ie make the tooth surface rough) is left out. Due to a special drying technique of the tooth after cleaning it, the sealant can be applied directly after the cleaning procedure.

Do Dental Sealants Last for a Long Period?

Dental sealants can last for up to ten years and will be checked at regular intervals. Some times sealants will need extra adding of plastic, if the layer on the tooth has worn down. If a sealant is chipped or comes off the sealant can easily be replaced or repaired by adding more plastic to the sealant or bare tooth. People or children who have sealants fixed to their teeth should try not to eat hard or sticky candy, and avoid chewing on ice cubes.

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