Protecting Your Child From Cavities
There are two important things you can do to keep your smile healthy and shining bright: Take care of your teeth at home with daily brushing and flossing and visit Dr. Wilson or Dr. Banker at Corner Stone Dental for regular checkups that include a professional cleaning. This will keep your smile feeling fresh while holding cavities and gum disease at bay.
You can also get an extra layer of protection against cavities with a dental sealant. Our dentists in Swansea, IL will often recommend sealants for patients who are more vulnerable to cavities. This includes children and teenagers in the cavity-prone ages of five to fourteen and adults with a history of tooth decay.
How Do Sealants Work?
A dental sealant is a thin, plastic coating that’s applied to the chewing surface of molars and premolars, preventing dangerous bacteria from penetrating the grooves in your teeth. This treatment is quick and noninvasive and it will last for many years.
Reasons to Get Sealants
Children and teenagers
Sealants are often recommended for children and teenagers due to their elevated risk of developing cavities. As soon as their six-year molars appear, you may want to talk to us at Corner Stone Dental about sealants for your child.
Sealants are normally applied to a patient’s permanent adult teeth, but if your child is susceptible to cavities, we may recommend applying a sealant to their baby teeth. Preventing tooth decay in baby teeth reduces the chances that your child’s primary teeth will be subject to decay.
Adults
Our dentists will recommend sealants for adult patients in certain cases. This includes adults who have teeth with deep grooves called pits and fissures, making them more susceptible to decay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, sometimes adults can get a dental sealant for a potentially troublesome tooth. Dentists may also recommend sealants for adult patients with a history of tooth decay. At your regular dental appointments, we’ll evaluate your oral health and determine if sealants are the best option for you.
Dental sealants can sometimes be applied to teeth that have had cavities as long as they’re disease-free. We may recommend sealants for problematic, cavity-prone teeth to help protect you from further damage or future problems.
Yes, dental sealants are safe. In fact, they’ll help protect your oral health and enhance your overall well-being. To determine if sealants are a viable treatment option for you, call our Swansea dental office to schedule an appointment at (618) 236-0501.
No, there isn’t BPA in dental sealants. Some sealants contain materials that can turn into BPA when they come into contact with saliva, but the proper placement of sealants reduces this effect.
Most dental sealants last for around 10 years, depending on your oral care routine. Sealants become worn over time and may chip, but we’ll check them at every appointment to make sure your child’s teeth are protected.