Dental Sealants
Your child’s first permanent molars will erupt around age 6 or 7. This exciting development in oral health makes them eligible for dental sealants, a preventive dental treatment designed to protect new teeth from developing tooth decay and the need for fillings or crowns. Sealants are an affordable, easy treatment for kids, and they’re available from Dr. Mitchell Loeb and his pediatric dental team at Kid Grins in Edina, MN.
Why Dental Sealants Are Important for Kids
Molars are hard workers. They bite and gnash and chew with every meal or snack. Molars are also covered with hundreds of miniscule grooves where food, bacteria, and plaque can get caught.
Kids aren’t the best brushers and flossers. They may try hard but it’s tough to get to all the nooks and crannies of their mouth, even with help from a grown-up. Children also tend to love the stickiest, chewiest foods which easily cling to tooth enamel and its many crevices.
To keep cavities from forming on your child’s newly erupted adult molars, your pediatric dentist will recommend sealants. Sealants stop problems from developing on the many ridges of a molar’s chewing surface and serve as an extra layer of tooth protection.
The Dental Sealant Treatment in Pediatric Dentistry
Some kids get concerned about having anything done to their teeth beyond a teeth cleaning, especially if it’s an unfamiliar procedure. Dental sealants take only one brief dental visit to do the important work of protecting tooth enamel from bacteria and plaque.
- Conversation. We go over this preventive dentistry procedure with child and grown-up so they know what to expect at every step.
- Preparation. The molar being treated is isolated, dried, and sanded to create a dry, rough surface that allows the sealant to adhere fully.
- Application. The non-invasive procedure does not require a numbing agent. The clear or tooth-colored liquid sealant is painted over the chewing surface of the tooth. This non-toxic, plastic, thin resin immediately blends into the enamel.
- Bonding. The sealant is hardened in place with a special light and creates a smooth surface and protective barrier. The bond is so strong it can last for a decade or more, especially when oral health care is maintained.
- After. It is only necessary to wait 30 minutes before eating or drinking. Keep all dental check-ups and cleanings with your pediatric dentist every six months and encourage your child to make smart choices about hard and sticky foods to further protect their teeth.
It Pays to Invest in Cavity Prevention for Kids
There are many reasons to invest in dental sealants, and if you need more information about why your child (and you) can benefit this important treatment, consider the following:
- Cost-effective. When teeth are sealed, they are less likely to develop decay or infections, which is a cost-effective choice that saves you from paying for tooth-colored fillings, porcelain crowns, extraction, or root canal therapy.
- Pain free. No one wants their child to suffer tooth pain. A toothache does not go away on its own, but it doesn’t have to develop at all if developing decay is significantly reduced thanks to dental sealants.
- Reduced anxiety. If you have an anxious child when it comes to any dental procedure, let alone one that involves a drill like a filling, non-invasive dental sealants ward off problems.
Your Child Is a Good Candidate for Dental Sealants
As soon as adult molars erupt fully above the gumline, anticipate that your pediatric dentist will recommend dental sealants to protect this precious new enamel with preventive dentistry. Contact Kid Grins to make an appointment for your child and find out if sealants are right for their beautiful smile.
