What are they?
A dental sealant is material that is placed into the grooves of teeth to help prevent decay. The idea is to cover the grooves so sugar can’t sit in them, and to make it easier for your toothbrush to do their job on your teeth, as the toothbrush does not need to clean the hard-to-reach grooves the sealant covers.
Who needs them?
Previously, dentists used to placed them onto everyone’s teeth as a preventive practice. Now we look more closely as to who would benefit them. Generally, sealants are placed at a young age when your molars come (6/12yrs old), but sometimes they can be placed on adults if needed. Some indications of needing sealants would be: deep grooves or history of decay (sealants will not benefit anyone if decay is between the teeth). Contraindications of sealants would be: teeth already have fillings or shallow grooves.Dental Sealants are easy to apply; There is no need for local anesthetic and it can be done quickly. However, they do not last forever, so sealants need to be monitored to make sure bacteria is not leaking underneath. Maintain good oral hygiene and regular checkups, as sealants are only an aide in protecting your teeth.
A dental sealant is material that is placed into the grooves of teeth to help prevent decay. The idea is to cover the grooves so sugar can’t sit in them, and to make it easier for your toothbrush to do their job on your teeth, as the toothbrush does not need to clean the hard-to-reach grooves the sealant covers.
Who needs them?
Previously, dentists used to placed them onto everyone’s teeth as a preventive practice. Now we look more closely as to who would benefit them. Generally, sealants are placed at a young age when your molars come (6/12yrs old), but sometimes they can be placed on adults if needed. Some indications of needing sealants would be: deep grooves or history of decay (sealants will not benefit anyone if decay is between the teeth). Contraindications of sealants would be: teeth already have fillings or shallow grooves.Dental Sealants are easy to apply; There is no need for local anesthetic and it can be done quickly. However, they do not last forever, so sealants need to be monitored to make sure bacteria is not leaking underneath. Maintain good oral hygiene and regular checkups, as sealants are only an aide in protecting your teeth.
-Emma
Braeside Dental Centre
Braeside Dental Centre
