Sealants

Sealants are liquid coatings that harden on to the chewing surfaces of teeth and are showing a great deal of effectiveness in preventing cavities-even on teeth where decay has begun.

The pits and grooves of your teeth are prime areas for opportunistic decay. Even regular brushing sometimes misses these intricate structures on the chewing surfaces of your teeth.

Research has shown that almost everybody has a 95 percent chance of eventually experiencing cavities in the pits and grooves of their teeth. This statistic just shows there is no escaping the sugar that is put in our food.

Sealants act as a barrier to prevent food from collecting and sitting on the grooves and pits of teeth. If food sits in the grooves it feeds the bacteria. It is these bacteria that produce acid that eats away the tooth.

Sealants are best suited for permanent first molars, which erupt around the age of 6, and second molars, which erupt around the age of 12. The teeth in front of the molars are called premolars and they benefit, as well.

Sealants actually were developed about 50 years ago, but didn't become commonly used until the 1970s. Today, sealants are becoming widely popular and effective; young children are great candidates for preventative measures like sealants (especially on molars) because in many cases, decay has not set in. Even on teeth where decay is present, sealants have been shown to fight additional damage.

Proper Application

Sealant application involves cleaning the surface of the tooth and rinsing the surface to remove all traces of debris. This is the critical step. We at Cashion and Cody use a sand blaster, called Air Abrasion to clean the grooves and pits before the sealant is placed. We have found this extends the life of the sealant. This procedure is similar to painting. It is all in the preparation! After the site is washed and dried, the sealant material is applied and hardened using a special high speed curing light. Sealants usually need re-application every 5 to 10 years.