Prevent cavities and stop progressive tooth decay with dental sealants
Tooth decay is one of the most common childhood diseases. It can interfere with children’s development during their critical formative years. Furthermore, children with dental decay miss more school days than their counterparts with healthy teeth. Resulting toothaches can also make it difficult for kids to get the restorative sleep they need or eat nutritious foods comfortably.
Fortunately, Dr. Ryan Zhuoran Zhao has a proven, affordable, fast, and easy way to protect decay-prone back teeth: dental sealants. This procedure at Harmony Smile Dental in Sunnyvale, California, is generally:
- Covered by dental insurance as a preventive service
- Applied in a single visit; easily fits into routine dental check-ups
- Durable – we check that the sealant is holding up well during check-ups
- Effective at preventing 80% of cavities over a two-year period (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Dental Sealants Q&A
What exactly are dental sealants?
Sealants are coverings placed on the back teeth. Premolars and molars are vulnerable to tooth decay. These teeth are harder to clean because of their locations at the back of the mouth. Also, their fissures or uneven, pitted surfaces tend to trap food particles. Lingering food and bacteria promote the development of harmful plaque and stubborn plaque build-up (tartar).
How are sealants placed?
Dr. Zhao first cleans and dries the teeth. The teeth to be treated are further conditioned to promote the strongest bond between the sealant and the natural tooth structure. He then brushes on the sealant material, a safe plastic, as a liquid. Once the liquid has been precisely applied to protect the surfaces of the teeth, it is hardened. That’s it! Your decay-prone teeth can now effectively “seal out” the primary causes of tooth decay.
Am I a good candidate for dental sealants?
We won’t know for sure until we examine your mouth. Generally, though, we recommend sealants as a preventive measure. Sealants are often associated with children because, ideally, we’ll want to place them as soon as the back teeth erupt or break through the gums. This process usually starts at around the ages of 6 or 7. However, sealants are not just for children. Dr. Zhao may also recommend sealants to adult patients at risk of cavities.
Also, sealants may be recommended for patients with early-stage enamel erosion. Decay can be halted when detected and placed sufficiently early into the disease process.
Questions about dental sealants? Call us! Harmony Smile Dental can be reached at (408) 738-1000. Or, feel free to book an appointment on this website.
