Dental Sealants

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends placing dental sealants on the first permanent molars when they come in the mouth(around 6 years of age). They also recommend placing sealants on the second permanent molars( which will come in around 12 years of age). Dental sealants help reduce cavities on the chewing surfaces of the tooth. Tooth decay affects nearly one-fifth of the 2-4 year olds. More than one-half of the 8 year olds, and nearly three-fourths of 17 year olds.

1. Dental sealants are one of the preventative procedures that can be done to reduce the incidence of dental decay. The material is a plastic coating that is applied to the chewing surfaces. The sealants are placed on a clean tooth surface. The application if fairly simple, the technique is important. The tooth is isolated,cleaned, and and then a slightly acidic solution is applied and rinsed to roughen up the surface. This roughness allows the sealant material to adhere better. The sealants are checked on each hygiene visit to ensure that they are still present. On occasion the sealant needs to be touched up to for it to be effective. Sealants can last for years. Even though dental sealants are placed, they do chip and wear off after years, and dental decay can still form. Following good dental hygiene habits along with sealants, will help to the children have healthy teeth and gums.