Sealants

Many new and exciting advances came about in dentistry. One of these is a protective covering called a sealant. A sealant is a coating added to the biting surface of the trunk teeth. It's used to fill out the deep grooves and pits that are normally within everyone's teeth. It's remarkable how sealants protect children and adults from tooth decay.

Where Cavities Begin

Many cavities begin in these deep grooves and pits since they are too small for the bristle of a brush to get into and effectively clean the area. Regardless of how hard you try, you are likely to be leaving plaque and bacteria behind that will destroy the tooth. The plaque or bacteria, that produces tooth decay can readily be present in the pits and grooves of the trunk teeth.

An excellent analogy showing the potency of sealants is always to compare the sealant to an umbrella. The umbrella effectively protects you from the rain. Once the umbrella is opened, it spreads out to cover, protect and keep you dry. The sealant covers and protects the biting surface of the tooth from the damaging storm of bacteria, sugars, and acids.

Easy Procedure

The procedure for placing sealants is very easy and it does not require any shots or drilling. Actually, it is a rather fun experience, specifically for the young. The tooth is cleaned, dried, and prepared with a sour solution. The tooth is then washed and dried again and the sealant is applied.

Initially, the sealant is in liquid form. Because it is liquid; the sealant flows into all of the grooves, pits, and fissures of the tooth. The sealant is then subjected to a special light that produces the sealant to become very hard. The biting surface of the tooth has become protected from decay.

Sealants Do Not Prevent All Cavities

You can still get cavities in between the teeth, that is why it remains important to brush, floss and make use of fluoride toothpaste. Sealants, brushing, flossing, using fluorides and arriving for the regular dental health checkups will give you the various tools to proceed through life with a pleased and healthy smile.

The sealant is recognized by insurance companies as the next most effective preventative advancement in dentistry. Many insurance companies are willing to cover 100% of the price of the treatment since they understand that placing a sealant now's more affordable than paying for a filling or a crown or a root canal later.