Dental News - Dental sealants: They are not just for kids anymore

Fred Michmershuizen, DTA

Wed. 4 March 2009

save

Dental sealants, those plastic materials that are applied directly to the chewing surfaces of back teeth fitting into pits and fissures and designed to prevent tooth decay, have been long associated with children and teen-agers. But according to organizations like the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) and the American Dental Association (ADA), sealants can also be effective deterrents to tooth decay for adults.

According to the AGD, many dentists recommend and apply dental sealants to premolars and molars in their younger patients, but sealants can also protect adult teeth and seal them from decay-causing bacteria.

“It takes only a few minutes to seal each tooth, and once applied [a sealant] can protect teeth from decay for up to several years,” said Bruce DeGinder, DDS, MAGD, AGD spokesperson and past president. “As long as the sealant remains intact, small food particles and bacteria that cause cavities cannot penetrate through or around a sealant. Sealant protection is reduced or lost when part or the entire bond between the tooth and sealant is broken.”

The AGD explains the procedure for applying a dental sealant as follows:

1. Clean the teeth. The dentist may need to check whether decay is present in the grooves of the teeth.

2. Roughen the chewing surfaces with an acid solution. This process will help the sealant stick to the teeth.

3. Paint the sealant on the tooth. It bonds directly to the tooth and hardens.

The AGD recommends that patients visiting their general dentists twice a year for regular dental appointments will allow the dentists to check the condition of dental sealants and reapply them when necessary.

The ADA, which also says that adults can benefit from sealants, offers the following information on sealants in question-and-answer format:

How does a sealant help prevent decay?
A sealant is a plastic material that is usually applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth — premolars and molars. This plastic resin bonds into the depressions and grooves (pits and fissures) of the chewing surfaces of back teeth. The sealant acts as a barrier, protecting enamel from plaque and acids. Thorough brushing and flossing help remove food particles and plaque from smooth surfaces of teeth. But toothbrush bristles cannot reach all the way into the depressions and grooves to extract food and plaque. Sealants protect these vulnerable areas by ‘sealing out’ plaque and food.

Is sealant application a complicated procedure?
Sealants are easy for your dentist to apply, and it takes only a few minutes to seal each tooth. The teeth that will be sealed are cleaned. Then the chewing surfaces are roughened with an acid solution to help the sealant adhere to the tooth. The sealant is then ‘painted’ onto the tooth enamel, where it bonds directly to the tooth and hardens. Sometimes a special curing light is used to help the sealant harden. As long as the sealant remains intact, the tooth surface will be protected from decay. Sealants hold up well under the force of normal chewing and usually last several years before a reapplication is needed. During your regular dental visits, your dentist will check the condition of the sealants and reapply them when necessary.

What can be done beyond sealants?
Key ingredients in preventing tooth decay and maintaining a healthy mouth are twice-daily brushing with an ADA-accepted fluoride toothpaste; cleaning between the teeth daily with floss or interdental cleaners; eating a balanced diet and limiting snacks; and visiting your dentist regularly. Ask your dentist about whether sealants can put extra power behind your prevention program.

For more information, visit the AGD online at www.agd.org and the ADA at www.ada.org.

To post a reply please login or register

Gentle dentistry: It’s not just for patients

When patients are looking to establish a dental home, what factors lead them to you and keep them with you? What prepares them for a great patient ...

The best solution for IPR just got better

As a part of its mission to always provide dentists with only the best solutions for improved patient care, ContacEZ continues to refine, improve and expand...

Sealants not dentists' first choice for treating caries lesions in children

PHILADELPHIA, Pa, & CHICAGO, Ill., USA: American dentists are more likely to drill than seal non-cavitated caries lesions (NCCL) in children as ...

Interview: ‘An online presence is not a luxury anymore’

In an interview with Dental Tribune, Dr. Sean Fahimi, president of Solution21, a website design and marketing company, discusses the importance of having an...

Controlling fear, not just infection

“A miss is as good as a mile,” they say. Recently, in my New England dental practice, a miss was as good as 15. I no longer keep my cell phone ...

CAD/CAM technology just got a whole lot better

As you enjoy perusing the booths at this year’s Midwinter Meeting in Chicago, you’ll get up close and personal with some of the industry’s newest ...

‘She has computer experience …’ (just not the kind your office needs)

‘Experience.’ It’s a word that conveys different meanings to different people. When seeking employment, applicants naturally want to ...

Cold therapy application just got glittery

In the early nineties, Cool Jaw partnered with leading oral and maxillofacial surgeons to develop a new generation of hot and cold therapy. Specifically ...

Hygienist helps transform dental care for the elderly

MESA, Ariz., USA: Ann Benson Ross is transforming the way elderly patients in her community receive oral care. A dental hygienist for more than 20 years, ...

Are you ready for the silver tsunami?

Ten thousand baby boomers retire every day in the U.S. And this silver tsunami is only getting bigger. As these individuals age, they are doing so with the ...

Education

Live webinar
Fri. 26 April 2024
12:00 PM EST (New York)