Why May My Child or I Need Dental Sealants?
Even the best brushing techniques won’t result in total plaque removal if the grooves are especially deep, which is often the case with new adult teeth. Add to that the fact that kids are just learning to keep their teeth clean and can have a hard time brushing in general, let alone the hard-to-reach areas. It isn’t hard to see, then, how plaque and debris can quickly build up and cause dental decay.
Dental sealants can help prevent this issue and are highly recommended for most children and some adults.
Dental sealants are made of a fluid plastic material. Your Tampa dentist places this material in the deepest grooves, then light cures the material to make it hard.
The sealant fills the deeper parts of the biting surface, making it much easier to keep teeth clean and decay-free.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Dental Sealants?
The grooves of a tooth are very deep when adult teeth first come into a child’s mouth. Even some baby teeth have deep pits and crevices that are hard to clean.
Adults don’t often deal with this issue because the enamel can wear down a bit over time. However, some adults have deep grooves for years into adulthood and struggle to keep the biting surfaces of their teeth clean. If this sounds like you or your child, your Tampa dentist will likely recommend dental sealants to prevent decay and make daily dental hygiene much easier.
In general, the best candidates for dental sealants are:
- Children who still have their baby teeth
- Pre-teens with mixed dentition
- Teens and adults with all their permanent teeth
