What are Dental Sealants?

A newly placed dental sealant prevents decay

The purpose of sealants is to prevent the formation of decay from the groove patterns within the teeth as best as we can.

Sealants can last for many years if they are well-placed at the dental office and if patients do not eat overly sticky foods which may pull them out. With fluoridated water, dental sealants are the best thing that have happened in preventive dentistry.

During development of the teeth, grooves may be incompletely formed. The grooves can be too deep and too narrow for even one tooth brush bristle to clean. As a result, no matter how well one may brush, there still may be plaque, bacteria, or food particles present in the bottom of these grooves. Decay in these grooves is quite common.

Even with fluoride in the water, decay in these grooves may still occur.

As a result of the presence of these grooves, dental sealants are necessary. In most cases, this procedure can be performed without anesthetizing the teeth. This procedure involves cleaning the groove pattern, assuring there is no decay, microscopically etching the surfaces of the grooves, and then placing a liquid plastic filling material which fills the groove pattern. A bright blue light is then used to cure, or harden, this filling material.

We recommend dental sealants for many children and adults. Since they are so successful at preventing problems, and because we are so meticulous and careful in placing these sealants, patients save time and money.

Schedule your next appointment today and Dr. Venincasa will evaluate your teeth for possible sealant application.