Our teeth, particularly our rear premolars and molars, have complicated pits and grooves that serve as chewing surfaces. Even though these grooves and pits are crucial for food grinding, they can also harbor plaque and cavity-causing bacteria, resulting in dental caries. Dental sealants can protect teeth against caries and encourage long-lasting tooth health. This blog provides an overview of dental sealants, explaining what they refer to, how they prevent cavities, and their effectiveness in doing so.
What Dental Sealants Are
Dental sealants are thin, liquid-plastic, protective coatings that a dentist applies to the teeth’s chewing surfaces. These sealants fill up the narrow pits on chewing surfaces (generally on premolars and molars). When a dentist places them correctly in the deep grooves, sealants can avert extensive cavities by safeguarding sensitive chewing surfaces from cavity-causing acid.
Sealants protect tooth surfaces much like a weather sealant protects a sidewalk or driveway. They are made of different materials, including medical-grade glass ionomers (glass powder mixed with an acid that is soluble in water) and resins (synthetic or plant). You can apply sealants to prevent bacteria, food particles, and plaque from accumulating in fissures, which can ultimately lead to cavities. They can prevent up to 80% of dental caries from forming in teeth where bacteria and food debris can hide.
How They Work
Placing sealants is relatively easy, painless, and quick. The dentist generally takes only a couple of minutes to complete one tooth.
First, the dental professional will thoroughly clean the teeth before placing the sealant. This is to remove any food particles or plaque surfaces so they do not become trapped between the tooth surfaces and the sealant.
After cleaning the teeth, the dentist will examine them for dental cavities. If a tooth already has a cavity, it may have to be treated first. The dentist will then dry each tooth and surround it with absorbent material to keep it dry through the procedure. They clean the teeth using a mild etchant (acid etch solution) to roughen their surfaces so the dental sealant material can bond perfectly. The etchant roughens the tooth surface by creating microscopic pores.
After cleaning, the dental professional rinses the etchant and dries the teeth again. Based on the sealant material you choose for your treatment, the dentist may apply a thin layer of adhesive or bonding agent to the teeth's chewing surfaces before they place the sealant material. The adhesive flows into the pores created by the etchant, forming a mechanical bond.
The dental professional will then paint the sealant directly on each tooth's chewing surface. Since it is liquid, the sealant will flow to the pits and grooves of the tooth, providing complete coverage.
Lastly, the dentist may use a curing light to harden the sealant. Once hardened, the dental sealant creates a barrier against bacteria and food debris. You can drink, eat, and resume your daily duties right after the treatment without requiring time to recover.
The tooth undergoing treatment must be properly isolated to prevent contaminants, including saliva, from impacting the bond. The dentist may apply ozone gas to eliminate or reduce bacteria around or on the tooth being treated before applying the sealant. If your dental professionals detect a small dental cavity, they can use a dental drill, a laser, or air abrasion to eliminate the infection prior to placing any material.
This whole application process is straightforward, noninvasive, and does not require drilling or anesthesia. Additionally, it is an ideal preventive treatment that could save you money, time, discomfort, and more dental appointments by averting cavity formation at the outset.
You do not need to do anything to prepare for the treatment. Your hygienist or dentist can place them during a regular office visit.
Caring for Dental Sealants
Caring for dental sealants is easy. You can floss and brush them as usual. Utilize a toothpaste containing a remineralizing agent, such as hydroxyapatite, and a soft-bristled toothbrush. Diets rich in coffee, berries, red wine, and teas may stain the sealants. Also, they might pop off should you eat chewy, gummy, or sticky foods often.
You should see your dental professional if you experience any change in your oral health after sealant placement. Examples include bad breath, bleeding gums, gum pain, toothaches, and other worrisome symptoms.
Candidates for Dental Sealants
Teenagers and children are common candidates for dental sealants. But adults without dental fillings or decay in their back teeth are also ideal candidates for this treatment. Generally, anybody who is susceptible to tooth cavities in their rear teeth can consider dental sealants. Patients who can benefit the most from sealant treatment include those:
- At a higher risk of developing cavities
- With deep pits in their back teeth
- Who eat diets high in refined sugars and flours, sugary drinks, and processed foods
- With special needs that make a healthy diet or dental hygiene more challenging.
Preferably, minors should have sealants applied immediately after the first and second molars erupt (around the ages of 6 and 12, respectively). The sooner the sealants are placed, the better. This is so they can safeguard the children's teeth through the cavity-prone years.
Sealants might also be ideal for primary teeth. If, for example, your child has primary teeth with deep grooves and depressions, sealants can help safeguard these areas. Since milk teeth play an essential role in preserving space for permanent teeth, it is crucial to keep them healthy so the baby does not lose them too early.
Dental Sealants Durability
Sealants are long-lasting. They can last between 5 and 10 years with appropriate care. However, this treatment is not permanent. With time, it will ultimately wear down. During routine dental check-ups, your dental professional’s job will be to assess whether your sealants are in good condition or need replacement. Fortunately, even if sealants wear down, they can still give some degree of protection while they are intact. And since applying them is so easy, reapplying them is also straightforward and quick.
The Dental Sealants’ Role in Preventing Cavities
Cavities arise because of bacterial buildup in the oral cavity. These bacteria usually feed on starches and sugars that remain after eating and produce harmful acids that eat the tooth enamel, ultimately causing decay. Even though flossing and brushing are essential for removing plaque and food particles from tooth surfaces, the deep grooves and pits of molars and premolars make cleaning these teeth thoroughly challenging. That is where sealants become useful.
Sealants provide a smoother surface over the rough areas of the molars and premolars. By doing so, they serve as a buffer, preventing food particles and bacteria from accumulating in the teeth's grooves. Per research, sealants can lower the likelihood of caries in molars and premolars by 80%. This makes them among the most efficient preventive dentistry tools.
Sealants are primarily beneficial for teens and children since they are more susceptible to dental caries in their younger years. However, grown-ups can also benefit from this treatment. When used in conjunction with proper oral hygiene practices, including flossing, brushing, and regular dental visits, sealants provide enduring protection.
Are Sealants Safe?
Sealants are entirely safe for adults and children. The materials from which they are made have undergone extensive testing, and the American Dental Association (ADA) has approved them. There is no cause for concern about risks or side effects linked to dental sealant treatment.
If you are concerned about whether sealants are safe for your children, you can relax; they are a reliable, proven method for preventing tooth decay. Actually, the American Dental Association recommends incorporating dental sealants in a comprehensive dental healthcare plan for teenagers and children.
How Much Are Dental Sealants?
The cost of dental sealants per tooth ranges between $33 and $82. The average cost in California is $53. The price can vary depending on various factors such as the geographic location, the dentist's expertise, and the dental sealant material used.
Whether insurance covers dental sealants is contingent on the provider. Many insurance plans cover 100% of the cost of dental sealants, as they consider them a preventive treatment. Other dental insurance plans cover dental sealant treatment only for patients under 18. That means they will not cover adult treatment. Consult your dental insurer to understand whether they cover this treatment and any possible out-of-pocket expenses.
Dental Sealants: Benefits and Drawbacks
When considering applying sealants, you want to learn about their key advantages and disadvantages. Some pros of applying dental sealants are
- Reduction in acid contact. Since the sealant coats the tooth's surface, it minimizes contact between the mouth acid and the tooth surfaces. The normal acids found in the foods we eat can erode tooth surfaces. Also, bacteria respond to plaque formation and produce more mouth acid. These weakened areas or small pits are vulnerable to the formation of cavities. It is much better to prevent tooth cavities than to drill and fill damaged teeth.
- Sealants help smooth chewing surfaces. The smoother the tooth chewing surface, the lower the chances of it retaining bacteria and small food debris. Your mouth remains cleaner because food particles cannot become trapped in the grooves, which can produce harmful acids. Sealants also safeguard other teeth with rough surfaces by protecting pits and grooves from decay.
- Durability. Dental sealants can last between five and ten years, providing several years of teeth protection against dental cavities.
- Minimal procedure. Placing dental sealants is a quick, painless procedure that does not necessitate anesthesia.
- Cost-effective. Placing sealants is a relatively affordable option compared to dental fillings. In the long run, they can be a cost-effective treatment to prevent future dental issues.
Despite the advantages, dental sealants also have some disadvantages. These include the following:
- Insurance might not cover adult treatment. Even though they are typically affordable, sealants incur upfront costs that not every insurance plan covers, or might cover only partially, especially for adult treatment.
- They are not permanent. Sealants are long-lasting but not permanent. They can wear off with time and might require reapplication. Routine dental checkups enable your dental professional to assess the condition of the sealants and replace them when necessary.
- They must be placed before tooth cavities develop. Patients with severe dental decay might not be ideal candidates for sealants if the cavity has already advanced beyond what this treatment can protect. Your dental professional will conduct a comprehensive exam, which often includes X-ray imaging. This is to ensure they do not apply the sealant to already compromised teeth.
- If sealants are not correctly placed, they can trap bacteria, which can then result in the development of cavities.
Dental Sealants vs. Fillings: The Difference in How They Work
Dental sealants and tooth fillings are not the same. While they both aim to maintain dental health, they have different purposes. Dental sealants are preventive, whereas fillings are restorative. Sealants prevent cavity formation, while tooth fillings treat already-developed dental cavities. That means that sealants are placed on healthy teeth, while fillings are applied to decayed teeth.
The treatment procedures between fillings also differ. The application of dental sealants is noninvasive and brief. It also does not require anesthesia since the procedure is not painful or uncomfortable. On the contrary, dental filling placement is more invasive. Since the dentist must use a laser or a drill to extract the decayed portion of the tooth, anesthesia is used to reduce pain and ensure comfort, particularly if the cavities are deeper and decay is close to the nerve. Filling treatment takes between thirty and sixty minutes to complete.
Find a Professional Dentist Near Me
Whereas regular professional cleanings, flossing, and brushing are crucial to proper dental hygiene, at times your teeth require an additional protection layer to prevent decay, and this is where sealants come in. Consult a reliable dentist to establish whether this treatment is the ideal choice for you or your child's dental needs.
At Lasting Impressions Dental Spa, we believe that preventive care is the key to a healthy smile. If you wish to learn more about sealants or would like to undergo a dental sealant treatment in Encino, CA, do not hesitate to call us at 818-751-5100. We will answer all your questions or provide advanced treatment to safeguard your teeth for many years.
