One of the best ways to protect your child from cavities is by getting them dental sealants. Learn more about this proven dental protection.

How Dental Sealants Provide Cavity Protection

Dental sealants are a special protective resin applied onto teeth to help prevent cavities in kids. These tooth sealants are mostly placed on a child’s permanent molars, but we may also want to apply them to other baby or permanent teeth that are susceptible to cavities. These tooth sealants cover the deep grooves and crevices in teeth, which tend to trap plaque and bacteria and are difficult to clean with a toothbrush. If those particles are not removed from teeth, they can develop into cavities. But covering these areas with tooth sealants can keep decay at bay.

When Children Should Get Tooth Sealants

Family dentistry experts agree that children should get dental sealants as soon as their permanent molars emerge, which is typically around age six or seven. They may also need tooth sealants on their second molars, which come in around age 12. Ask us to let you know when your child is ready for the cavity protection of tooth sealants.

How Dental Sealants Are Applied

Dental sealants take very little time or effort to apply, with only a few minutes needed to complete the entire process. The following steps are involved:

1. The teeth being treated are first cleaned.
2. A special etching material is brushed onto the teeth and allowed to set for one minute before it’s rinsed away.
3. The teeth are dried and the dental sealant is simply brushed over the teeth.
4. A very strong curing light is used to activate and set the sealant.
5. One minute later, the sealant has set and the entire procedure is finished, leaving the child protected from cavities.