Dental Sealants
Dentist Missoula
 Protecting vulnerable areas of teeth with dental sealants can save you, and your child, from pain and time in the dental chair. This simple treatment is a preventive step in your oral health. Working with our staff at Roth Family Dentistry, we can provide tips, guidance, education and treatments to help your teeth be healthy, helping you keep them stronger, as well as longer.
Teeth are naturally designed to bite and chew food. As we chew and break down various foods, it is common for some bits to become stuck or wedged in the pits and valleys of our teeth. Most of these bits can be removed easily from naturally occurring saliva, drinking liquids such as water, or when we brush and floss. Sometimes, there are areas of teeth that are designed with small enamel overhangs or cracks that food or plaque can become stuck making it difficult, or impossible, to remove. We seek out these spots and fill the area with the liquid sealant varnish, preventing food or debris from making contact or getting stuck.
We value the preventive care that sealants provide, including:
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Protecting Vulnerable Patients: Some patients, either due to their age or abilities, are unable to clean their teeth as well as they should. We recommend dental sealants for all of our adolescent aged patients who are new to their permanent teeth and still learning to care for them. We also recommend dental sealants for our patients with a variety of disabilities that could impact their ability to properly brush and floss their teeth.
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Working with Various Tooth Shapes and Hiding Spots: Some patients may have areas of their teeth that are just more vulnerable to food getting stuck and difficult to clean. We can protect those areas with sealants.
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Decreased Saliva Production: Some patients may be experiencing a reduction in saliva production due to various health and lifestyle causes. Saliva plays a very important role in naturally cleaning our teeth. We can help those patients by providing additional protection with dental sealants. |
Placement of Dental Sealants
Dental sealants are placed following a dental cleaning. After we have identified candidacy and the areas that need protection, we then begin the process. The area is first cleansed. We want to do our best to eliminate any decay-causing bacteria. We then apply an acid treatment to roughen the enamel texture just slightly. This will allow for better adhesion of the sealant product. With the tooth prepped, we then apply the sealant varnish. It is painted on with a brush. There is no discomfort in the application of dental sealants. The sealant material is then hardened in place with a blue laser light.
Once dried, the tooth is ready to use. The sealant material will serve as a barrier between the tooth and any food, plaque, or debris. For most patients, the sealant material will stay in place for many years, but we will check their status at each checkup appointment.
We invite you to learn more about the benefits of dental sealants and how they can significantly reduce the likelihood of developing caries or cavities. |
