How Are Sealants Applied to Teeth?
A Sealant is a thin plastic coating painted on the chewing surfaces of your teeth, the grooves of your back teeth, the molars, and the premolars to prevent teeth decay. The coating on the liquid quickly penetrates the grooves of your teeth, which are then hardened or cured by an intense white light. The result is a boned shield over the enamel of each of your teeth.
Due to the likeliness o developing decays in the grooves and the depressions of the molars and premolars, children and teens ate the obvious candidates for dental sealants. However, adults without fillings or decay in their molars and premolars can also benefit from dental sealants.
Children should get dental sealants in the permanent premolars and molars as soon as their teeth come in. this makes it possible for the sealants to protect the teeth through their cavity-prone years, between ages six to 14. In other cases, dental sealants may also be appropriate for baby teeth, like when the child’s baby teeth have deep grooves and depressions. This is because the baby teeth play an essential role in holding the correct spacing for the incoming permanent teeth. In addition, it is important to keep the baby’s teeth healthy, so they are not lost too early.
Can Tooth Decay Already Be Covered by a Sealant?
Yes, tooth decay can be covered by dental sealants. However, this only applies to areas that are only affected by early decay to prevent further damage to your teeth. In addition, since some of the sealants are clear plastic, your dentist can also keep an eye on them to ensure the decay does not spread and that the sealant is doing its job.
The Sealant Application Process
Most dentists follow a similar process in applying dental sealants. The five steps involved with the placement include cleaning and drying the teeth, applying an acidic solution, rinsing the teeth, applying the sealant to the chewing surfaces, and hardening the sealant with a curing white light. Here are some steps involved when getting dental sealants in Roseville, CA.
- Cleaning and Drying the Teeth
During the first step, your dentist in Roseville will thoroughly clean your teeth that receive the dental sealants. This helps to prevent any issues after the procedure is done and helps with the effectiveness of the dental sealants. Once the cleaning is done, each tooth is dried. An absorbent material like cotton is then placed around the tooth to apply a sealant to keep them dry.
- Apply an acidic solution
The next step is applying an acidic solution. This helps the sealant coating bond to the chewing surfaces of your premolars and molars. It should not cause any discomfort or affect your dental enamel. The goal of the process is that your tooth should look natural after the sealant’s material wears off, generally after at least six years.
- Rinsing and Drying your teeth
Once again, your teeth are rinsed off thoroughly and dried to ensure that the tooth is clean enough and ready for applying the sealant. This, however, is easy when a non-invasive dental device is used. It also takes less than a few minutes.
- Painting the sealant over the enamel
Once your teeth are rinsed, dried, and roughened up, the next step is to paint the sealant over the chewing surface of your teeth. The coating is a thin layer that is just enough to add a layer of protection over the enamel of your toot without compromising the appearance of your teeth. This step does not cause discomfort or pain and does not take so much time to complete.
- Hardening of the dental sealant with a curing light
The final step is to harden the sealants using a curing white light. This ensures that the hold is strong and durable and reduces the risk of complications that may require the reapplication of the sealant material.
Where Can You Get Sealants Near You in Roseville, CA?
If you want to protect your child or teen teeth from tooth decay with dental sealants, you can visit Smile Shine Dental. Our skilled and highly professional staff will take care of all your needs. We have great equipment and a good environment designed to accommodate young children. Book an appointment through our online website today.