City of London Dentist Recommends Dental Sealants to Protect Your Teeth
At the back of your mouth you will find your molars that used for heavy duty chewing. Along the surface of the molars are ‘fissures’, small grooves that run across the teeth. These fissures can be particularly vulnerable to a build up of plaque and food particles that can cause tooth decay. Due to the shape of the fissures they can be difficult to effectively clean with a toothbrush. Once tooth decay has damaged these teeth it will be necessary to have fillings and/or crowns put on them to remain fully functional. Dental sealants are a preventative measure that provides extra protection to your molar teeth.
Dental sealants are a plastic material applied to the surface of the molars (and occasionally other teeth) and bond into the fissures. When the fissures is sealed the surface of the tooth is flattened out to provide a much easier surface to clean. The plastic seals the tooth against any possible food particles or plaque that might have previously attacked the tooth.
The application of dental sealants is very straightforward and will only take a few minutes per tooth. Before applying the sealant, each tooth is thoroughly cleaned. The surface of the tooth will be roughened to allow for a strong bond before the sealant is painted directly on to the enamel. Special lights are then used to very quickly dry the sealant in to its place. The sealant will harden shortly and be ready for normal usage.
Dental sealant can with stand everyday chewing and last several years. As the sealant begins to wear out your City of London dentist will be able to easily apply a new layer of sealant for continued protection.
