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Treatment with dental sealants can help prevent cavities for 10+ years
Sealants are ideal for patients of all ages who may be prone to tooth decay
Dental insurance typically covers the cost of dental sealant treatment for minors
Dental sealants take only minutes to place, and are completely non-invasive
This preventive dentistry procedure is primarily used to treat kids at Kitty Hawk Dental, but may be used to treat patients of all ages. Typically, dental sealants are only applied to the molars, where 90% of cavities occur.
The rear molars are much more cavity-prone because they have large pits, fissures, and grooves that can hold food particles, bacteria, and acid. This, in turn, raises the risk of decay.
Dental sealants help prevent this. In this treatment, Dr. Kimberly King cleans the rear teeth, etches them with a very mild acid, and then applies a clear liquid resin to the molars. Then, this resin is “activated” with a UV light to harden it.
The result is a tooth that’s completely coated with durable, strong plastic. This plastic coating prevents bacteria, acid, and food from contacting the enamel directly. In turn, this will protect the tooth from decay.
Sealants are safe, effective, and much cheaper than dental fillings, so preventive treatment with dental sealants is a great way to improve your child’s oral health or your own oral health.
Dental sealants are extremely effective, since they create a durable barrier that prevents cavities from forming in the enamel. It has been found that sealants applied to the back teeth can prevent up to 80% of cavities in kids.
Even though they’re usually only used for kids, sealants can also be used to treat adults. However, it is important to note that they usually must be applied to teeth that do not already have a cavity or a filling.
Dental sealants are durable, but don’t last forever. Eventually, the resin material will begin to wear down and may be chipped off of the tooth enamel. Dental sealants will usually last between 5-10 years.
Depending on your oral health or your child’s oral health, Dr. King may recommend repeating the treatment once the initial sealant treatment begins to wear down, or she may determine that further treatment with dental sealants is not necessary.
Children are typically the best candidates for dental sealants. They may be applied twice, in some cases, because the first adult molars erupt around the age of 6, and the second set of adult molars comes in at about 12 years.
Dental sealants are also classified as an “essential health benefit” under the Affordable Care Act, so the cost of treatment for kids is usually covered in your dental insurance plan.
However, patients of all ages can benefit from dental sealants. If you’re an adult with a healthy mouth and your rear molars are free of cavities, but you’re cavity-prone or worried about tooth decay, Dr. King may recommend dental sealants in Livermore.
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