Sealants

Each day, your teeth stand up to wear and tear from chewing and exposure to foods and drinks. While daily brushing and flossing can help protect your tooth enamel from deteriorating, these practices aren’t always enough.

Thankfully, Eastgate Dental Excellence offers our patients a variety of preventive dentistry treatments designed to protect and strengthen teeth, increasing their longevity. One of the simplest and most effective preventive dental care treatments is dental sealants.

What Are Sealants?

Dental sealants are a thin plastic designed to coat, protect, and strengthen the surface of your teeth. They are most often applied to the back molars. These teeth are the most difficult to reach for thorough brushing and also have deep grooves that are difficult to keep clean.

Dental sealants help protect your teeth while making them easier to brush and floss.

The Benefits of Getting Sealants

The surfaces of your molars are filled with ridges and tight crevices that can easily trap food particles, plaque, and bacteria.

By smoothing the surfaces of the molars, dental sealants improve chewing and make teeth easier to clean as they’re less likely to trap food particles. They also shield the teeth from harmful bacteria and acids responsible for tooth decay and cavities.

Who Should Get Dental Sealants?

Both children and adults are excellent candidates for sealants. However, we recommend getting them as early as possible so that the surfaces of your molars are fully protected to prevent tooth decay before it starts.

What to Expect When Getting a Dental Sealant

Getting a dental sealant only requires a few minutes. It is a simple, pain-free, and non-invasive procedure that can take place during your regular dental exam and cleaning.

To apply a dental sealant, one of our team members first cleans and dries the surface of your tooth. We apply the sealant using a small brush that paints on a thin coating of sealant material. We then use a special blue light that hardens and sets the resin. Finally, we’ll ask you to bite down and tell us how the sealant feels. We’ll adjust the thickness until your bite feels normal.

Preventive Dentistry With Eastgate Dental Excellence

Used in conjunction with regular brushing, flossing, dental cleanings, and professional fluoride treatments, sealants can help you maintain a healthy smile and minimize your risk of developing oral health problems.

At Eastgate Dental Excellence, we encourage our patients to take a proactive approach to their dental care. To learn more about dental sealants and other preventive dentistry treatments, we welcome you to contact our office today.