Dental Sealants in Glenmont, NY
Bethlehem Family Dental offers dental sealants that can benefit your child’s oral health because they help protect permanent adult molars from dental decay. When the first permanent molar erupts, they are more prone to cavities because they are often missed from brushing and they have deep grooves on the biting surface. The deep grooves catch bacteria easily and without sealants, teeth are more susceptible to tooth decay.
How Do Dental Sealants Work at our Glenmont Office?
A sealant is a thin plastic film that’s applied to the tiny, deep, grooves on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth, usually the premolars and molars. The purpose of using dental sealants is to prevent bacteria from entering the grooves and fissures within the molars and developing decay.
Why Are Sealants Necessary?
You may wonder why sealants are necessary if you’re already proactive with your child’s oral hygiene. The problem is that it’s difficult to get the toothbrush bristles deep into the crevices and deep grooves of certain teeth, where cavities commonly develop.
By applying sealants to the little nooks and crannies that are difficult to reach, you dramatically reduce the risk that these teeth will develop decay. One quick office visit can save you both money and time, with fewer dental visits and healthier, cavity-free teeth.
We recommend that you consider sealants when the permanent first molars erupt, usually around age six. Second molars usually appear around age 12, and we may recommend sealants for those teeth as well.
What Does the Process Involve?
At Bethlehem Town Family Dental, we take the placement of sealants very seriously. Before the sealant coating is applied, we go through several steps to ensure that the teeth are cleaned, isolated, disinfected, and prepared. Improper sealant placement could lead to early loss of the sealant material, eliminating the protection and increasing the chance of cavities developing. Once the sealant is done, you should still be able to see the outline of the grooves, but they should be sealed and coated.
Will Sealants Guarantee No Cavities?
Sealants are a good start for protecting your child’s teeth, but even well-placed sealants cannot do the job alone. Keeping your child’s teeth healthy requires a combination of good oral hygiene, healthy diet, and regular dental visits.
However, it’s important to know that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that sealants may reduce cavities in school children by more than 70 percent.
Protect Your Child’s Precious Oral Health
Many dental insurance plans cover the cost of preventive treatments like the application of sealants. This makes sense when you consider that protecting teeth with sealants reduces the risk of decay and the need for more costly procedures as your child matures. However, all plans are different, and it’s always best to have us check and confirm exactly what your insurance covers.
We want to see your child enjoy the benefits of a happy, healthy smile now and far into the future. Sealants are just one tool we have for achieving this goal, so please give our Glenmont dental office a call. We’ll be happy to meet with you to discuss all your child’s dental needs.
Dental sealants are a valuable tool for protecting healthy teeth. At our Feura Bush dental office, we commonly use them for children to protect their healthy teeth from decay. 
