| Sealants ________________________________________________ |
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 In recent decades, the incidence of cavities among children in the United States has decreased mainly due to the fluoride placed in the water supply.
However, because the teeth in the back of the mouth ( molars and premolars) have numerous pits and fissures on their biting surfaces, certain areas of these teeth are often difficult to clean even with vigorous, daily tooth-brushing. To remedy this, research into dental sealants began in the 1960s and by the early 1970s, the first generation of sealants became available and were approved by the FDA. |
| What are Sealants? |
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| Dental Sealants are a clear or white layer of plastic material that is placed in the grooves of the back teeth. This prevents bacterial from entering those deep grooves and also makes it easier to clean the teeth with a toothbrush. |
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| What happens when sealants are applied? |
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| Getting fissure sealants applied is painless. There is no drilling in healthy teeth and it does not take long. The dentist first cleans the chewing surface of the teeth, roughens the surface up a bit with a gel and then dries the teeth. A resin (plastic) liquid is then applied to the fissures. Within minutes it dries into a clear or tooth-coloured layer. It does not contain metal. |
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| At what age might sealants be considered? |
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Sealants are primarily a preventive treatment for the permanent teeth, not the milk or baby teeth. The first permanent teeth emerge between five and seven years of age. Another set comes about six years later.
Teeth sealants last longer than four years for more than half of the children and young people who have them done. During this time the risk of cavities in the sealed teeth is about halved. The resins applied as sealants these days are generally believed to be reasonably safe, although some people have had allergic reactions to them
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| What is the cost?? |
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| The cost of sealants is minimal compared to the benefits it can provide. The price can range between $0 to $50 at our office depending on your insurance coverage. Sealants are a fraction of the cost of fillings or other dental work if the tooth becomes decayed. Even for adults, this is a great way to ensure your teeth don't get cavities. Call us today if you want to have a free evaluation of your teeth for sealants 213-385-9710 |
