When Are Dental Sealants Recommended by a General Dentist?

A general dentist can practice preventive dentistry on their patients. Protecting teeth from decay and damage is the primary goal of this field of dental care. This is possible through dental sealants. If you want to find out when your general dentist can recommend dental sealants, here are the details.

What a dental sealant is

Tooth decay is the primary enemy of developing teeth. Molars and premolars take the brunt of the chewing pressure. As these teeth chew, food particles cling to them. This motivates bacteria to thrive on them. A dental sealant is a coating over the surfaces of chewing teeth.

The general dentist will suggest applying these sealants on teeth. That way, the teeth have protection from tooth decay. These sealants cover even the tiniest groove and indentation of the chewing surfaces. This prevents food particles from getting trapped in them.

Dental sealants are important in maintaining the health of primary teeth. Protecting baby teeth from decay prepares the tooth space for the eruption of permanent teeth. The space must be healthy. This will ensure the proper emergence of adult teeth.

The right time for dental sealants

Infants are also vulnerable to cavities. Babies who develop cavities will be prone to cavities as adults. This will give way to more serious dental issues. Keeping cavities from developing makes the child healthy.

The hard enamel protects the child’s teeth over the years. This protection allows teeth to become stronger. Fluoride toothpaste and dental treatments make the enamel more resistant to damage. The fissures and pits are still vulnerable even with this kind of natural protection. That is why the general dentist will recommend the application of dental sealants.

The NIDCR (National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research) suggests the application of dental sealants should be at the time of permanent teeth eruption. At age six, the first adult molars erupt. The next molars will follow at around 11-13 years old. The general dentist will seal the deep grooves of the child’s molars.

The procedure

It takes the general dentist one dental visit to apply dental sealants. The patient does not need to worry about pain at all. Dental sealant application is painless, which is good for patients with anxiety. It starts with drying the tooth well.

The dentist will then make the dental surface rough. This makes the sealant gel bond well to the teeth. Proper application of the dental sealant ensures thorough protection. The dentist will rinse the sealed teeth to finish the procedure.

Children are the usual patients for this procedure. The earlier they have dental sealants, the more protection they have against cavities. In some cases, adults can be viable candidates for dental sealants. This will need thorough preparatory treatments before the dental sealants coat the patient’s teeth.