Dental Sealants

Regular brushing and flossing is important and helps prevent cavities. However, it's not always easy to clean inside every groove of your teeth. Dental sealants are a coating that smoothes out these grooves, making it easier to keep your teeth clean and stopping early signs of decay from progressing to a cavity.

Children and adults can benefit from sealants. To learn more or to schedule your appointment with one of our dental health experts, contact Full Smile Dental in Dumas, Canyon, Amarillo, Farwell, and Dalhart, TX, today.

What Is a Dental Sealant?

According to the American Dental Association, sealants reduce the risk of decay by 80% in molars. Sealants protect your oral health by smoothing out pits and fissures. This blocks food particles from harming tooth enamel and makes it possible to clean every tooth's surface.

A dental sealant is a thin plastic coating placed on teeth with deep grooves, or fissures. The back molars often have deep fissures that trap food particles and bacteria, increasing the risk of cavities. Dental sealants are most commonly placed on the chewing surfaces of these teeth, but can be placed on other permanent teeth as well.

Your sealant can be clear or white, depending on the type used by your dentist. Many dental professionals recommend having sealants applied as soon as you can to prevent tooth decay and cavities for years to come.

How Are Dental Sealants Placed?

Before applying sealants, your dentist will examine the surfaces of your teeth and explain what to expect throughout the process. We can place sealants at any of our locations and no anesthesia or sedation is often necessary. This is a nonsurgical treatment that takes only minutes to complete.

Your dentist will clean the tooth's surface with a paste and rotating brush. We place an acidic gel over the grooved or fissured area. This gel roughens up the tooth's surface to form a stronger bond between your tooth and the sealant. The tooth is dried and the liquid sealant is placed. We use a light to harden the sealant and the process is complete.

Benefits of Dental Sealants

Preventing dental cavities is the main benefit of sealants. They also offer other benefits, including:

• The process is quick and easy, lasting only a few minutes per tooth
• No drilling is necessary
• Sealants can last many years; Your dentist can place a new one that has worn down or fallen off
• Your regular dental care routine remains the same; brush and floss twice daily over the sealants

Frequently Asked Questions: Dental Sealants

How Long Do Sealants Last?

According to the Centers for Disease Control, sealants have been shown to last and function up to 9 years after placement. During regular dental checkups, your dentist will check to see if any sealants have fallen off. If so, your dentist can easily place a new one.

Can Children Get Sealants?

Yes, children can and should get dental sealants. Cavities are common among children and teens and sealants are an effective way to protect their teeth from cavities. A child should have dental sealants placed soon after the permanent molars come in, around age 6 for the first molars and age 12 for the second molars.

Can Sealants Be Placed Over Cavities?

Yes, your dentist can place a sealant over areas of early decay to prevent further damage. With clear sealants, your dentist can monitor the cavity through the sealant to make sure it is not progressing.