What are Dental Sealants?

A dental sealant is a relatively inexpensive plastic material that can be applied to the chewing surfaces of molars that will help the child prevent cavities. Kids are not known for being thorough teeth brushers, and it’s a common practice for them to skip brushing those areas toward the back of their mouths that are prone to cavities and decay. The American Dental Association has recommended that children should get dental sealants whenever they start to get their adult teeth.

How do they work?

Dental sealants smooth out and fill in all the fissures and grooves in teeth that often hide small food pieces which attract bacteria that causes cavities. At Smiling Kids Pediatric Dentistry Indianapolis, Dr. Swati Singh can apply sealants to the child’s teeth that may protect them for as long as ten years. Naturally, sealed teeth must be checked often by a pediatric dentist to make sure no cracks are developing in the sealant.

The statistics are compelling

There’s over 50 years of research that clearly show that if a resin-based sealant is applied to a molar’s biting surface, it may reduce cavities almost 80% at first, and around 60% for the succeeding 4 years. Remember that our goal at Smiling Kids Pediatric Dentistry is to help the child be in the 50% of school age children who will not get cavities!

Which teeth should be sealed?

The number of teeth that ought to be sealed depends on the child involved, and whether he or she has a greater risk of getting cavities. If the child had cavities, or if the spouse has a large number of cavities, the child should have sealants applied as soon as their adult teeth start to erupt, frequently starting around the age of 6.

Who will apply the dental sealants?

Dr. Singh of Indianapolis, IN will be happy to apply sealants to the teeth of children. Before application, all teeth will be properly examined and cleaned. The next step is to dry off the tooth completely, add some material directly onto the tooth, rinse, and dry off. Now it’s time for sealant material to be placed over the tooth’s biting surface. The last step is to shine a special light onto the tooth in order to harden it into the surface of the tooth.

For all those parents that are thinking of having dental sealants applied to their child’s teeth, please contact the Smiling Kids Pediatric Dentistry Indianapolis. Dr. Swati Singh utilizes all of the most recent techniques for applying dental sealant. Dr. Singh is never happier than when she can help to keep children’s teeth free of cavities. There is nothing better than seeing a kid’s happy smile, especially when that smile is cavity free!