Wondering About Your Child’s Dental Sealants at Grin Dentistry and Orthodontics?

Pediatric dental sealants are an important preventive measure designed to give your child’s smile every possible advantage. Many dentists recommend children get sealants on their teeth as soon as their permanent molars grow in to prevent decay from the beginning. It is essential to protect your child’s oral health early on and prevent problems that may trouble them later on.

What Are Pediatric Dental Sealants?

The “grooves,” or crevices and pits along the back molars are highly susceptible to germs and bacteria that build up when food particles, such as sugar, become trapped inside them. Regular brushing goes a long way, but even the most dedicated of brushers can struggle to clean those grooves properly.

A pediatric dental sealant is a thin white or clear resin liquid applied to the surface of a child’s molars with a small brush. This thin coating placed over the biting surface of the molars protects them from decay. The protective coating reduces a child’s risk of cavities by 80% according to the American Dental Association (ADA).

Are Pediatric Dental Sealants Safe?

Dental sealants are safe and pose minimal risk to children. They are a great non-invasive way to help protect your child’s teeth from cavities. No materials go inside the tooth as fillings do. Sealants are made of a medical-grade resin. The materials are similar to the white filling material used when patients have cavities filled. The main difference is the sealant material; it’s runny in nature. Sealants are applied to teeth using a small brush to easily flow into the micro-grooves of the teeth.

The Procedure

This non-invasive and painless procedure is quick and completed in one visit. The procedure starts by cleaning the teeth being sealed with a polishing brush and pumice (gritty toothpaste). Once the teeth have been dried, they are isolated from any saliva from the tongue and cheeks using a small cotton roll or triangular intraoral cheek shield called a “dry angle.” Then, an etching solution is applied to the surface of the teeth to disinfect and prep the tooth for better sealant adherence. The teeth are rinsed off and dried once again. A thin bonding layer is painted on the teeth, then the sealant is applied directly onto the surface of the teeth, covering the enamel. After that is complete, the teeth are “cured” or dried using an LED blue light. This allows for faster application because it hardens and bonds the sealant to the tooth surface.

This entire process only takes about one minute for each tooth needing to be sealed. There are also no restrictions following the procedure, patients can eat and drink right away and can return to school immediately after. Dental sealants for a child are designed to protect their teeth for a minimum of 3-5 years, with a maximum of 10 years if they are well maintained. During your child’s regular dental checkups, the dentist will check the sealants to ensure they are still in place and haven’t cracked or worn away. If they do get damaged, they can be easily repaired.

Worried About Your Child Getting Fillings at Grin Dentistry and Orthodontics?

It can be distressing to learn from your child’s dentist that your child has a cavity in one of their teeth. If cavities are left untreated, it leads to negative consequences for both the children and parents. Luckily, a pediatric dentist can keep your kid’s teeth healthy. At Grin Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, we offer pediatric dental fillings and sealants to help prevent and stop the spread of cavities in kids.

What Causes Cavities in Kids? 

The breakdown of tooth enamel is called tooth decay. Tooth decay can eventually lead to cavities (holes in the teeth). Tooth decay is caused by bacteria and occurs when foods that contain carbohydrates are left on the teeth.

Foods such as soda, milk, candy, cake, raisins, fruit juices, bread, and cereals can be the culprit for tooth decay. The bacteria that live in the mouth change these foods into acids. The combination of food, bacteria, saliva, and acid form plaque that sticks to the teeth. Over time, the acids made by the bacteria will eventually cause cavities.

It is important to treat dental decay as soon as possible or it can become worse and lead to more serious oral health problems. Problems caused by childhood dental cavities are advanced dental infections, mouth pain, gum disease, damage to permanent teeth, disrupted speech development, and in some cases, tooth loss.

Tooth Filling Procedure

If your child needs a dental filling, there are three simple steps to follow:

1. First, we will make sure that the tooth and surrounding tissues are numbed so your child has a pain-free dental experience.
2. Then, our pediatric dentist will remove the bacteria and decay from the cavity in the affected tooth and will thoroughly clean and disinfect the cavity.
3. Once it is cleaned, the filling material is applied to the sterile dental cavity, and then it hardens.

Dental fillings are one of the simplest dental procedures. If your child properly cares for his or her dental fillings by brushing twice a day, flossing daily, and visiting their dentist every 6 months for a checkup, their fillings could last for years.

Call Grin Pediatric Dentistry and OrthodonticsnLearn More About Fillings