Protecting Your Smile With Dental Sealants

Dental sealants are clear or tooth-coloured plastic coatings placed on chewing surfaces of molars and premolars to protect them from decay. These teeth are located in the back of the mouth and have small depressions called grooves or fissures, which are difficult to clean.

Plaque accumulates in these areas, and bacteria attacks the enamel resulting to decay. If left untreated, tooth decay leads to dental cavities, gum disease, infected root pulps, and tooth loss.

Dental fissure sealants cover the depressions and help prevent food particles and bacteria from getting stuck in them. In addition, the fissure sealant keeps harmful bacteria away from the surface of the teeth.

They also fill the deep fissures and make the tooth surface smooth and easier to clean. When combined with a comprehensive dental care routine and a healthy diet, sealants can help protect your smile for a lifetime.

Who Should Get Dental Sealants?

Dental sealants in Burlington, ON, are recommended for both adults and children. Our dentist offers you the choice of either composite resin and glass ionomer sealants for your whole family.

A child can have sealants applied on baby teeth with deep grooves and depressions, which easily harbour bacteria. The sealants protect the primary teeth from decay and being pulled out before the permanent teeth erupt. Losing baby teeth prematurely affects the growth and development of permanent teeth.

Children should get sealants as soon as the permanent back teeth erupt to help them avoid dental decay. They are prone to cavities at around ages 6-14 since they have not learned to brush properly.

Also, they cannot keep away from sugary foods and drinks, which cause an increase in bacteria and acids that corrode away the enamel. Sealants seal out the decay-causing bacteria and keep the teeth healthy.

Adults who have deep fissures or suffer from a lack of adequate saliva in the mouth due to disease or medications also benefit a lot from dental sealants. They offer an additional way of protecting teeth against decay by providing a barrier that helps keep out bacteria.

As you grow older, routine dental cleanings and normal wear and tear lead to thinning of the enamel. As a result, your teeth are left exposed and more prone to decay. They also become sensitive to extreme temperatures in foods and drinks. In such cases, sealants for sensitive teeth are recommended to protect the inner part of the tooth.

How Do Dental Sealants Help?

1. They keep decay-causing bacteria out of the deep grooves and fissures of the tooth that are difficult to clean. Molars and premolars are structurally made with groves to help masticate food and withstand chewing forces. Unfortunately, the grooves become deep and difficult to clean properly.
2. These thin plastic coatings not only prevent cavities but also help stop a cavity from getting worse if your dentist catches it early enough. In addition, by examining the surfaces of your teeth, the dentist will know whether your teeth are decaying from the inside or are more prone to decay.
3. With dental sealants, you receive added support to your oral care routine since the cracks and crevices that are difficult to clean are filled and evened out with the sealer. Plaque and bacteria can no longer hide in these areas, so cleaning every day becomes easier.
4. Sealants keep the enamel from wearing out and thinning since it becomes more prone to dental decay and tooth sensitivity.
5. In an easy and painless procedure, your teeth receive a coating material that protects them effectively from harmful oral bacteria in a single appointment.
6. When left untreated, teeth decay leads to dental cavities, which cause a lot of dental pain. In addition, the procedures carried out to repair the damage, such as root canals, are invasive and cause pain during the healing process. Sealants protect you from dental pain due to cavities.
7. This preventive dentistry procedure plays a role in protecting your overall good health. However, when decay is left untreated, it can lead to medical issues that severely affect your general health.
8. Preventing tooth decay through the use of sealants can save you future costs as you try to repair your severely decayed teeth or other more complicated dental health issues.
9. You receive adequate protection from bacteria that cause teeth decay for several years. During a routine dental checkup at Walkers Line Dental Centre, the dentist will examine your seal teeth for tiny chips in the sealant and repair them so that they continue to offer enamel protection.