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Protect Decay-Prone Back Teeth, Efficiently And Economically, With Dental Sealants

At Little Pearls Dentistry for Children in Lansdowne, Virginia, we are an essential partner in supporting your child’s health, happiness, and well-being. Oral health greatly influences a child’s ability to comfortably chew nutritional foods, function throughout the day, and sleep without pain. A healthy diet and restful sleep are essential for everyone, especially for kids during their formative years. Led by Dr. Mike, our team strives to arm young patients and their parents and caregivers with numerous tools and credible and valuable information to fight tooth decay.

DENTAL SEALANTS: PROTECT AND PREVENT

Around the age of six, the first permanent molars begin to appear. At this time we may recommend applying dental sealants.

Due to their location, the back teeth can be hard to reach and, in turn, hard to brush and clean properly. Additionally, molars present challenges to your child’s good oral health because of their deeply grooved, uneven, and otherwise pitted surfaces. These surfaces tend to trap food debris. Food that sticks around promotes the development of tooth decay. Dental sealants keep out food particles and bacteria that can cause cavities. So, your child’s back teeth remain truly clean, which supports a healthy, decay-free mouth.

The process of applying sealants is non-invasive and uncomplicated.

The tooth or teeth to be “sealed” are cleaned and dried.
The tooth is “prepared” to apply the sealant with a specialized gel that “texturizes” its surface. This step helps the sealant bond to the natural tooth structure.
The sealant is then gently applied to the grooves on the biting surfaces of the teeth as a liquid.
A curing light is used to harden the sealant.

At your child’s next visit, and the ones afterward, we will check that the sealant is in top shape. We have two different types of sealants that we use. Feel free to discuss the different types and the pros and cons of each at your child’s visit.

Sealants are economical. They are generally covered under many insurance plans, as are other services classified as “preventive.”

Do not delay getting the specialized care your child needs to maintain a happy, healthy smile. Contact us at (571) 601-2080 to schedule your child’s visit.