Dental decay is the one infectious disease that poses the greatest threat to children’s teeth worldwide. In addition to avoiding sugary foods, regular brushing, cleaning and fluoridation in the dental office, they can be protected even more by supplementing with another purely preventive, effective treatment: preventive sealants.
Sealants are a painless, simple and safe method of prevention against dental decay. It consists of white or colourless, resinous, highly flexible coatings of material, which are placed in the holes and crevices of the chewing surfaces of the posterior teeth.
During chewing, food residues and microbes are trapped in them, resulting in tooth decay. The application of these preventive covers prevent food from being trapped and thus remove the risk of dental decay on the chewing surfaces.
It has been proven that teeth develop dental decay more easily during the first few years after teeth appear in the mouth. That is why these preventive covers are placed after the eruption of the first and second permanent molars, (at 6-7 and 12-13 years respectively). However, they can also be applied to any tooth that has holes and slits and therefore an increased risk of tooth decay.
Their placement is quick and takes place in a single visit. The dentist cleans the grooves of the tooth (without grinding, removal of enamel and anaesthesia) and places a thin layer of material over its crevices, which dries by photo – polymerisation.
The average lifespan of sealants is 4 years but they must be checked at least once a year by the dentist, so that if there is a detachment of the material it is replaced in time.
The preventive sealants of the permanent teeth protect the teeth effectively for as long as they remain in their positions, while the materials used are absolutely safe for children.
Yes, they ensure a healthy tooth for many years without the need for other dental treatment, but it is good to combine them with frequent applications of fluoride, in order to achieve even greater protection against tooth decay. At Great Smile orthodontic clinic we offer Pediatric dentistry services for the proper care of your kids teeth!