Uncovering the Reality of Dental Sealants

Although considerable evidence confirms dental sealants are effective in preventing and reversing non-cavitated carious lesions in the pits and fissures of the molars and the reality of dental sealants receiving approval from the ADA and the American Association of pediatric dentists, this straightforward treatment, sealants are widely underused.

Plenty of misconceptions are prevalent about dental sealants in people’s minds making approximately 51 percent of American children not getting dental sealants on their teeth and falling prey to compromising a whole lot of healthy smiles. This article focuses on BUSTING the misconceptions about dental sealants and exposing their reality to make you realize why your kids should have them on their molars soon after they emerge at six, 12, and 18.

Here are the six myths busted to convince you to uncover the reality of dental sealants.

• Myth 1: Sealants Leak. BUSTED: when you have dental sealants placed by an experienced pediatric dentist near you, they ensure the gaps in the sealed teeth are cured. The sealants will remain firmly in place without leaking.

However, dental sealants are susceptible to chipping and cracking, making it essential to reapply them because they are placed on the challenging-to-reach back molars and need maintenance. Consider dental sealants as getting a vintage car painted without expecting it to remain in shape forever. You must indulge in maintaining the sealants during regular service visits to the dentist for maintenance to prevent extensive repairs later.

• Myth 2: Teeth Decay beneath Sealants.BUSTED: if applied correctly by an experienced pediatric dentist, sealants prevent tooth decay instead of letting it occur. An application of dental sealants helps children comfortably clean the bacteria from the smoother surfaces on their molars because the dentist ensures the pits and fissures are sealed to prevent food particles and bacteria from remaining trapped in them and prevent cavity development.
• Myth 3: Sealing in Decay Encourages Growth of Carries. BUSTED: as long as children don’t have cavitated lesions in their molars, the sealants deprive the bacteria of the fuel they need to thrive. In addition, the bacteria find it challenging to survive on the teeth after sealing them, making it comfortable to prevent early decay from progressing into a cavity.
• The bacteriaMyth 4: Opening Fissures with a Bur before Placing Sealants is Essential. BUSTED: while the pediatric dentist in Martinsville, VA, uses a bur to clean tooth decay existing in it before dental sealant placement, the reality is entirely different. Modern dentistry enables dentists to use an etching solution to rough the surface of the targeted molar before applying the sealant without tooth structure removal. Evidence shows that sealing non-cavitated lesions is not challenging without removing tooth structure.
• Myth 5: Sealants Are Not Long Lasting. Busted: dental sealants are placed on the molars because dentists don’t have a tooth sealant front teeth. The sealants, when placed correctly, remain on the for up to a decade, providing protection against 80 percent of cavities for the initial two years, continuing the protection against 50 percent of holes for another four. However, the application of dental sealants is best performed by an experienced pediatric dentist with the experience to deal with children who are often uncooperative during dental visits.
• Myth 6:Applying Sealants Is Challenging and Time-Consuming. Busted: Dr. Brown applies dental sealants on children’s teeth in a few minutes after cleaning the molars and drying them to ensure the mouth saliva doesn’t contaminate the back teeth. In addition, the doctor uses high-quality dental sealants approved by the ADA without purchasing over-the-counter tooth sealants, also promoted as practical solutions to prevent cavities in children’s teeth.

When dentists apply dental sealants and ensure the pits and fissures of the molars are sealed and cured to give the teeth a smoother surface, making it more accessible for their patients to clean them without challenges.

While you might find it challenging to uncover realities hidden behind the myths, it helps if you understand how much it would cost you if your child developed cavities and needed frequent appointments with the pediatric dentist nearby to restore permanently damaged teeth. The costs of getting a tooth filled or crowned are considerably higher than getting a tooth sealed with dental sealants by overlooking the myths about them after reading about the realities uncovered in this article.

Kids First Dental recommends dental sealants for all children with molars to prevent the prevalence of dental caries on their teeth because of the presence of pits and fissures on their back teeth vulnerable to enamel erosion and cavities. Consult them if your kids don’t have sealants on their teeth to get them in a straightforward procedure completed in minutes.