are dental sealants necessary
Dental sealants are plastic coatings that are usually placed on the chewing (occlusal) surface of the permanent back teeth — the molars and premolars — to help protect them from decay. Some dentists, mostly those who treat few children, might be leery of sealants because they can be tricky to place, or because they didn’t learn to use them in dental school and aren’t in the habit of offering the treatment, Shenkin said. SEALANTS. Overview. Sealants, also referred to as dental sealants, consist of a plastic material that is placed on the chewing (occlusal) surface of the permanent back teeth — the molars and premolars — to help protect them from bacteria and acids that contribute to tooth decay. The first dental sealant to be placed is usually on the fissure of the first permanent molar tooth, once the chewing surface of the tooth has erupted completely beyond the gum. This tooth grows in behind the baby teeth. To be clear, not all children need sealants, said Bill Bailey, a dental officer with the CD, because their teeth are naturally not prone to decay or they have exceptional oral hygiene habits. For those who do require sealants, they may mean the difference between a lifetime of healthy teeth and the pain and health risks of chronic decay. “What folks need to know is that 90 percent of decay in the adult is on the biting surface on the back tooth,” Shenkin said. He’s touting the benefits of sealants in part so that more parents will know to ask about them. “Dentistry is a very demand-based health service,” he said. Dental Sealants. Before. After. The claim is that, Sealants can provide 100% protection from dental decay or cavities on the chewing surface.. If this were true, then everybody could just get a dental sealant and nobody would have cavities. I wish it were that simple. But this idea is simply not accurate. In dental circles, the question of sealants has been hotly debated for nearly 50 years, and at least since the ADA awarded the product its seal of approval in 1976. Dental sealants have been used and have been proven to be effective since the 1970s. Many studies have shown that they are effective in helping to prevent decay on chewing (occlusal) surfaces. Dental sealants can last many years. If necessary, it is also possible to place a new dental sealant on the tooth. Dental sealants are usually placed on the chewing surfaces of these teeth because these are the areas and teeth that typically have deep fissures. Dental sealants are sometimes also used on other permanent teeth if they have grooves or pits, to help protect these surfaces.
No