Dental Sealants in Vista
Your molars are anything but flat and perfectly smooth; their chewing surfaces include cusps and grooves for grinding food which, unfortunately, provide many spaces for bacteria to hide. Even if you consistently and diligently brush your teeth, hard-to-reach bacteria may still lead to cavities and tooth decay. At Melrose Dental Arts we offer dental sealants to protect your teeth from invading bacteria.
What Are Dental Sealants?
Dental sealants are thin, protective layers of plastic resin used to coat the surfaces of your teeth. Dr. Amiri will paint the clear resin over your molars and premolars. The process is simple, fast, and painless. The teeth are simply cleaned and dried in preparation, the sealant is applied, and then dried using a special dental light. Sealants can last five to 10 years, and sometimes longer. However, bi-annual preventive checkups and cleanings are still required to care for your other teeth, and so Dr. Amiri can monitor the sealants. Although sealants are most often used to protect children’s teeth. Sealants can benefit adult teeth, as well.
What Are the Benefits of Dental Sealants?
Dental sealants help protect your teeth from bacterial decay. They are clear and undetectable. The liquid sealant bonds to the tooth, seeping into hard-to-reach grooves and fissures and creating a strong barrier between your teeth and harmful bacteria. Dental sealants provide the following benefits:
- They protect baby and permanent teeth from tooth decay.
- They save time and money by avoiding restorative treatments, such as fillings.
- Sealants help your child feel like an accomplished brusher.
Am I a Good Candidate?
Sealants are typically recommended for children because they are still learning to brush effectively, and can have trouble reaching their back teeth. General guidelines for applying sealants include:
- When a child’s first molars have erupted, typically around age 6
- When permanent molars have erupted, typically around age 12 and on
- When a child’s teeth are particularly susceptible to tooth decay
- Sealants are also available to adults
