Dental sealants are a great option for parents who want to protect a child’s teeth from decay during the cavity-prone years of ages 6 to 11. Sealants are thin coatings that are applied to teeth in liquid form, then hardened with light or chemical activation.
Here, experienced San Diego area dentist Dr. Jennifer D. Santoro explains how sealants can be a powerfully effective tooth defense for kids whose love of Butterfingers outweighs their passion for brushing.
Emerging Risks
The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends sealants for the primary and permanent molars of all children and adolescents. The ADA points to studies that show sealants prevent 80 percent of cavities during the first two years after an application, and half of all cavities within four years. Sealants are especially effective in protecting molars, as the “pit and fissure” surface of these back teeth makes them prone to trapping food and bacteria and developing cavities.
Although many adults also choose sealants for their own teeth, children’s teeth are particularly vulnerable to decay as soon as they emerge. Tooth enamel has not reached its peak strength in newly erupted teeth. And the fragility of new teeth combined with kids’ sugary dietary choices sends the cavity risk soaring. Fluoride in toothpaste and in-office treatments can help, but even this protective compound cannot always reach into the deep indentations of molars.
Protecting baby teeth is important, because losing a tooth to a cavity at a very early age can have serious side effects. Baby teeth are placeholders for permanent teeth, helping to guide them into their proper positions. And a missing tooth during the time a child is refining speech can have a lifelong effect on enunciation.
Quick and Comfortable
Like tooth-colored fillings, sealants are made of a composite resin material that acts as a protective shield for teeth. The coating is extremely thin and completely invisible. Because most dental sealant patients are very young, it is important that the process is simple, quick and completely free of pain or discomfort.
There is no drilling or reshaping of the tooth involved, so not even topical anesthetic is needed. Dr. Santoro first examines, cleans and dries the teeth, then applies a mild acid solution to add texture to the surface, allowing for optimal bonding with the sealant. After a second round of rinsing and drying, the liquid sealant is carefully applied, then cured with the special light or activated chemically. The whole process is over in minutes.
Sealants can provide protection for as long as 10 years, definitely long enough to shield your child’s teeth well into adolescence.
To schedule your appointment, or to learn more about dental sealants, call Dr. Santoro at (858) 566-8510, or email Village Center Dentistry in Scripps Ranch today.
