Parents sometimes ask pediatric dentists in Encinitas, such as Carlsbad Children’s Dentistry, if tooth sealants are a necessary treatment for their child’s teeth. The parent wants their child to have good dental health, and so they are looking at all treatment options in order to find the best practices for their child.

What are Tooth Sealants?
When pediatric dentists in Encinitas apply tooth sealants to children’s teeth, it is a plastic bond that adheres to the surface of the tooth. The sealant is applied to the chewing surfaces, and it bonds into the small grooves and crevices of the tooth.

Because there are many narrow and tiny grooves on the surface of a child’s teeth, sealants are a great way to protect those areas. Often, it is hard for a child to properly clean all of the grooves on their teeth, because the toothbrush has difficulty reaching those small grooves. Applying the sealant makes the surface of the tooth smoother and flatter, and helps to eliminate the grooves that are hard to clean.

Also, it is easier to remove plaque more easily and effectively after a sealant has been applied. Many pediatric dentists in Encinitas have found that sealants are an effective way to prevent tooth decay, so that your child can have healthy teeth into adulthood.

How to Apply Sealants
If you would like your child to have sealants on their teeth, then you should schedule an appointment. The first step is to thoroughly clean to tooth, then it is conditioned and dried completely. Next, the sealant material is applied to the tooth surface so that it can flow into the grooves and cracks. A blue light is applied to the area where the sealant is applied, and it hardens the material.

Once this application is done, the child can chew and eat as normal. The sealants can last for varying periods of time, most of them will be good for anywhere from three to five years or even longer. Sealants aren’t always needed for good dental health, although your pediatric dentist might suggest that sealants are applied on teeth with difficult grooves, such as the molars in the back of the mouth. Each tooth is considered on a case by cases basis.

Even though sealants have been applied, it is still very important that a child maintains good brushing and flossing habits. Sealants are only one treatment to help prevent tooth decay, but other measures need to be taken as well. You should help your child to develop good habits at home, so that they can learn how to brush and floss their teeth every day. This multi-treatment approach can help your child to have healthy teeth into adulthood.

If you are interested in having sealants applied on your child’s teeth, Carlsbad Children’s Dentistry to schedule an appointment and we will evaluate the child’s teeth to see if a sealant treatment is the right option. You can contact us anytime to schedule an appointment by calling our office at: (760) 633-1131