Consider Dental Sealants for Your Child
The best family dental care Cedar Rapids, Iowa has to offer utilizes a variety of different care methods to manage multiple types of oral health issues. For example, you can get dental sealant to help your child’s teeth stay strong and resilient against various kinds of diseases for years to come.
Ways Dental Sealants Help
Dental sealants are designed to be a compelling way of protecting the teeth of you or your children. While they are typically applied to children at a relatively young age, adults may receive them as well in certain circumstances. That said, they do their best work protecting the teeth of children, which makes it essential to understand their benefits fully, and when you should apply them. Just as critically, this will also help you grasp the best time to use these sealants without causing any problems.
For example, dental sealants are considered a considerable preventive measure for various types of dental problems. They fit into the grooves and depressions on the surface of the tooth and ensure that no severe damage can occur. As a result, your child won’t have to brush their teeth nearly as strenuously to get rid of all of the plaque on their teeth. After all, there will be no place for the plaque to hide and grow on your child’s teeth and little risk of severe damage that is hard to reverse.
In some cases, a sealant may also help manage problems such as the straightness of your child’s teeth because it can help keep them from shifting due to various types of damage. They are particularly beneficial if poor dental health runs in your family, and you are worried about your child’s genetics causing devastating oral health concerns that are hard to manage.
However, there are times when dental sealant may not be an excellent idea for your child. For example, they are not a permanent addition to your child’s teeth and will wear away after 10 years. So if you get sealant on your child’s teeth or even on your own, you need to make sure you have them updated. Otherwise, their benefits will disappear, and your teeth will be more prone to damage caused by plaque and bacteria. For children who may not be prepared for this change, this can be a significant disaster.
Unfortunately, these sealants also tend to be a little costly and may not be covered by your insurance. Some providers think of these sealants as a cosmetic addition to the teeth or not necessary. As a result, you need to talk to your family dental care expert about them before you assume you are covered. If so, you can try them out because there aren’t many other downsides to using them. Before you do, though, you should understand the process thoroughly to ensure you do it properly.
How a Sealant is Applied
The first step in applying this sealant is to prepare the teeth to remove plaque and food debris properly. This technique is a typical cleaning and provides a coherent coverage of your whole mouth. Once the family dental care professional is done with this process, they will then isolate and dry the tooth. This step is crucial because it makes it easier to etch the surface of the tooth for the sealant. Etching is necessary because it helps make it easier to apply the sealant and the sealant to attach.
After the tooth has been etched, rinsed, and dried, it is time to add the sealant. This sealant is applied using a light brush. The sealant is very quick to apply to the tooth – the dentist should take no more than five minutes to cover the tooth thoroughly. They may use a mirror or a magnifying glass to see all of the small surfaces of the tooth to ensure that the coverage of the tooth is complete. Typically, the hygienist will then stop after they have finished and apply a self-curing light near the sealant.
This light is critical because it helps to cure the sealant more quickly and helps to make it stronger and more resistant to damage. This light application lasts only 30 seconds and shouldn’t take any longer than that. After the sealant is done curing, the dentist evaluates its strength to ensure that it is as secure as possible. Typically, they want to wait until the sealant is a hard plastic coating that makes it easier for you or your child to chew. If necessary, they may have to add more sealant if there is a break.
Now, the dentist can apply a sealant to other teeth, if necessary, to fully protect your child. Typically, your family dental care professional will choose a minimal number of teeth to seal as a way of decreasing the cost of the procedure. While it is possible to seal a whole smile in this way, you typically want to manage only teeth that are at a higher risk of damage, such as the canines, or those that have already experienced damage and need protection to stay healthy.
Steps to Take After Applying a Sealant
Once your family dental care expert has applied this treatment method to your child’s teeth, there are several steps that you must take to keep them secure. The first is to brush and floss your teeth to keep them healthy regularly. This process is particularly essential on the sealants because the plastic surface needs to be cleaned periodically to avoid stain buildup that could affect their appearance.
When flossing near the sealant, it is essential to go slowly to avoid catching the surface of the sealant cap. Though this shouldn’t pull the cap off, it may cause damage that may decrease sealant effectiveness. Typically, you want to floss at least 2-3 times a day to protect the sealant and your child’s oral health. If necessary, do the flossing for them to ensure that it gets done correctly.
Next, you want to visit your dental care professional every 3-4 months to get the sealant surface inspected and repaired as necessary. If you take these steps with your child’s sealant, it can last for the full 10 years and will be as healthy as possible for the better part of a decade.
Don’t Neglect This Powerful Treatment Method
So if your child has less-than-perfect teeth and you think sealant could help, make sure to contact us at Horton Family Dental right away. We provide the best family dental care Cedar Rapids, Iowa has to offer and will work hard to ensure that your child’s teeth are properly sealed and protected against decay and other issues. We can also provide you the same treatment, as needed, to keep your oral health healthy.
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