Dental Sealants A Foundation of Preventive Care

Dental Sealants A Foundation of Preventive Care

May 01, 2021

Good oral health begins with a stable prevention program in the dental office. Preventive dental interventions early include routine care, fluoride treatments, and sealants cost of the two measures to reduce the burden of disease and associated expenditure. Regular evaluation of the dentition is essential to detect anomalies, deep pits, and fissures contributing to dental caries risk.

As a foundation of preventive care, dental sealant treatment supports the essential elements of effective oral hygiene, good dietary choices, frequent dental exams, and prevention. Fluoride is also a necessary cornerstone of a dental office’s prevention plan. Still, it is not beneficial to promote re-mineralization in the pits and fissures, where over 90 percent of cavities develop in school-aged children.

The dental sealants procedure is painless and accomplished in minutes by the sealant dental office. Sealants are beneficial to prevent cavities from developing in the mouth’s pits and fissures, especially the molars acting as a barrier to protect the tooth enamel by blocking acids and plaque. Sealants effectively prevent tooth decay and have been mentioned in the American Dental Association’s policy since 1987. The dental sealant procedure is covered by dental insurers and shouldn’t worry parents of children about its high costs, especially if they are not insured.

How to Protect Your Children’s Teeth with Dental Sealants?

If you wish to protect your children’s teeth, providing them an additional barrier against tooth decay and cavities, you must contact a qualified dental professional who has received training and is licensed to provide this service. Dental assistants are also currently offering sealant treatment in 38 states having training and supervision programs.

Wherever possible in four-handed XP is best used for placing Russian-based sealants. Regardless of which member of the dental team places the sealant material, there are crucial general principles that the professional must follow for a successful outcome.

What Is the Technique for Chairside Dental Sealant Treatment?

It is incredibly essential to keep the patient comfortable during the procedure, often challenging with children. The dental professionals managing the process must isolate the teeth to be sealed and keep them dry from the mouth’s moisture. Professionals use isolation techniques like a rubber dam, cotton ball, or any other absorbent material. In most cases, the sealant procedure is the first significant procedure children undergo and are asked to tolerate in the dental office. The dentist must prompt the patient’s cooperation using positive communication while the dental assistant practices calming behavioral techniques.

The tooth identified for sealing requires cleaning, etching, washing, and drying for effective sealing to occur. Care is necessary during the application to ensure the tooth is not wet at any application stage. Failure to adhere to this requirement provides loss of the sealant.

The sealant material application should be even and thin over the occlusal surface. Dentists applying thick sealants may cause occlusal interference and pain after completing the sealant procedure because they create an artificially high occlusion.

The exposed dental sealant surface requires cleaning by wiping with gauze or cotton or washing with a water stream for about 10 seconds before dismissing the patient.

What Kind of Sealing Material Is Best for Your Child?

The choice of sealing material varies according to patient requirements. Resin-based sealants requiring curing with blue light are the most preferred choices. Most sealants are clear or white, and there are different handling consistencies.

The tooth identified for sealing is observed for general conditions. Any plaque and food buildup obscure the tooth surface. Plaque and food debris are comfortably removable by brushing and flossing. Dentists must evaluate the tooth identified for sealing to ensure saliva and moisture don’t jeopardize the treatment outcomes. It is one reason why many sealant applications fail, causing concern among parents about the authenticity of dental sealant treatment.

Dentists receive proper training and education about dental sealant application during their years in dental school. However, not every dental professional performs the application primarily on children. Parents looking to protect their children’s teeth from tooth decay and cavities must ensure they visit an experienced pediatric dentist, especially if the child has just developed molars and is unlikely to sit through the procedure without proper guidance from the dentist or their dental assistants. Dental sealants protect against tooth decay and cavities by 80 percent during the first two years of application and continue protecting children’s teeth from dental issues for another four years by 50 percent. Dental sealants remain on children’s teeth for up to 9 years but need regular monitoring from dentists because they are prone to chipping and cracking.

Preventive care is essential to ensure unnecessary tooth decay and cavities don’t affect your children to require expensive dental treatments. An excellent foundation is available for children with dental sealants providing them adequate safety against tooth decay & dental cavities.