What is dental sealants for adults?

When cavities-causing bacteria in the mouth comes in contact with leftover food bits, they generate acid.

The acid develops holes in the teeth, known as cavities. The dentist uses dental sealants over regions of early tooth decay to prevent further damage.

As you know, decay can occur in any age group. Teeth usually get weak. It makes them highly prone to dental caries. Also, conditions like dementia, MS, and ALS make it tough to maintain their dental health.

Disabled or seniors with a high likelihood of developing cavities can also benefit from sealants. But not every adult is an ideal candidate for sealants.

Process Of Dental Sealants Application

Let us check out the procedure for getting dental sealant in Sanborn, IA:

1. 1. Dental Check Up

Firstly, the dentist conducts a dental checkup to ensure that the teeth are healthy before the sealant placement. The checkup includes cleaning and X-rays. The dental sealant could cause an infection inside the tooth if a cavity is present.

1. 1. Clean and Dry the Teeth

The dental professional cleans every tooth thoroughly. Then, they put cotton around them to make them dry.

1. 1. Placement of an Acidic Solution

Then, the dentist puts an acidic solution on the chewing surfaces of teeth to make them rough. It allows the dental sealant coating to bond to the premolars and molars.

1. 1. Rinsing and Drying of Teeth

Now, the dental expert washes and dries the teeth thoroughly. It ensures that the teeth stay bacteria-free and ready for the sealant.

1. 1. Paint the Dental Sealant Over the Tooth Enamel

The dentist now washes and dries the tooth deeply using an acidic solution. Then, they paint the dental sealant over the enamel. This step hardly takes a few minutes to finish.

1. 1. Use of Curing Light

Finally, the dental expert uses a curing light to make the sealant coating hard. It minimizes the risk of early complications that require dental sealant material’s reapplication.

1. 1. Bite Check

The dental expert does a bite check to ensure that the plastic layer has not changed how the teeth fit together when you chew food or bite down.

Who Can Get Dental Sealant?

Adults and kids can take advantage of dental sealants. The first molars develop around the age of 6.

However, second molars appear around the age of 12. Sealing these teeth makes them free of cavities and saves money and time in the long run.

Kids must get dental sealants on the permanent molar and premolar teeth as soon as their teeth erupt.

Dental experts may also recommend sealants for the baby’s teeth in a few cases, mainly when there are in-depth grooves and depressions.

Talk to the Boelter & Gross Family Dentistry (Sanborn) dentist if dental sealants are the ideal choice for you and your family.

Keeping primary teeth healthy is essential, so they are not lost too early. Adults without dental filling or tooth decay in their molar teeth can also benefit from sealants.

How Long Do Sealants Last on Adult Teeth?

After the placement of sealants, they work for nine years. But after that, you require their replacement. Because these restorations can fall off, it means the protective cover has gone. It makes the tooth prone to cavities.

Getting sealants is not a replacement for maintaining a proper dental hygiene routine. Along with flossing and brushing your teeth daily, make sure you fix appointments for regular dental checkups.

The dentist applies sealants to molars. It’s because they do heavy chewing. So they are more prone to getting cavities. Molar teeth also have more uneven surfaces where bacteria and food can trap.

Why Cannot Every Adult Can Take Benefit from Sealants?

Sealants are preventative treatments designed to protect teeth from cavities.

However, they do not treat dental issues like cavities, gum diseases, etc. For example, if you are an adult and have broken or severely decayed teeth, getting sealants does not work.

It’s because the decay would continue to spread beneath the dental sealants. Therefore, if your tooth has holes, grooves, or pits from decay or requires treatment, the dentist advises you to treat it first before receiving sealants.