Flossing and brushing your teeth every day is a large factor in cavity prevention. Nevertheless, it can be difficult to reach every small part of those teeth especially the deep fissures of molars. Here at Kirkwood Dental, we want to provide the best service for you to protect your teeth from plaque buildup and tooth deterioration.
Placed on the surface of your permanent back molars and premolars are dental sealants composed of coatings of plastic. These are typically known as the “chewing” teeth where more food particles tend to get lodged in deep fissures, so sealants are typically more needed in these areas. The following describes the placement of a dental sealant:
First, the tooth is cleaned with a spinning brush coated in paste, then is cleaned and dried. An acidic mixture is placed on the tooth’s fissured area for a certain amount of time before it is washed off. This creates a more rough, microscopic surface allowing the sealant to be attached. Liquid sealant is placed after the tooth dries and hardened by a special light or two-component dental sealant (this is without the light). After hardening, the finish coating is sealed and ready to be used for chewing and drinking.
After they’ve erupted from the gum, sealants can be placed. Sometimes sealants can be placed on other permanent teeth if there are grooves and pits. All these sealants usually last several years before another coating is required. Your dentist will check the condition of the sealant to determine whether a new one is needed in your biannual appointments.
Kirkwood Dental will be happy to serve you here in Campbell, California. Call 408-378-8500 to schedule an appointment to determine whether you are eligible for dental sealants.