Sealants
Online Dental Education Library
Our team of dental specialists and staff strive to improve the overall health of our patients by focusing on preventing, diagnosing and treating conditions associated with your teeth and gums. Please use our dental library to learn more about dental problems and treatments available. If you have questions or need to schedule an appointment, contact us.
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Conditions:
Anterior Open Bite
Bruxism (Clenching and Grinding)
Causes of Tooth Pain
Centric Relation
Consequences of Bone Loss
Cracked Tooth
Dental Cyst
Dental Erosion
Dental Tumor
Endodontic Abscess
Gingivitis
Gingival Probing and Pocket Depth
Gingival Recession
Healthy Occlusion
Impacted Third Molar
Malocclusion (Class I)
Malocclusion (Class II)
Malocclusion (Class III)
Non-Carious Cervical Lesions
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Periodontitis
Peri-Implantitis
Peri-Implant Mucositis
Plaque and Calculus
Progression of Decay
Recurrent Decay (Around a Restoration)
Single Tooth Loss
Temporomandibular Joint Disorder
Trauma- Chipped Tooth
Trauma- Horizontal Root Fracture
Understanding Tooth Wear
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Procedures:
Anterior Bite Plane
Apicoectomy
Bar Retained Dentures
Bone Graft (Socket Preservation)
Bone Graft with Immediate Implant Placement
Bridge (CAD/CAM)
Bridge (Impression)
Bridge Versus an Implant
Clear Aligner Technology (CAD/CAM)
Clear Aligner Technology (Impression)
Composite Filling (Anterior)
Composite Filling (Posterior)
Composite Versus Amalgam Filling
Connective Tissue Graft
Crown Lengthening (Esthetic)
Debridement
Equilibration
Filling Versus Crown (CAD/CAM)
Filling Versus Crown (Impression)
Fixed Hybrid Dentures
Fluoride Treatments
Free Gingival Graft
Implant- Supported Bridge (Anterior- CAD/CAM)
Implant-Supported Bridge (Anterior-Impression)
Inlay (CAD/CAM)
Inlay Impression
Locator Retained Overdenture
Locator Retained Overdenture (Reline)
Mandibular Advancement Device
Occlusal Appliance for Tooth Wear
Onlay (CAD/CAM)
Onlay (Impression)
Orthodontic Retainers- Fixed
Orthodontic Retainers- Removable
Osseous Surgery
Palatal Expander
Removable Complete Dentures
Removable Partial Dentures
Root Canal
Root Canal With Post Core Buildup- No File (Impression)
Scaling and Root Planing
Screw-Retained Implant (Anterior Healing Cap)
Screw-Retained Implant (Posterior- Healing cap)
Screw-Retained Implant (Anterior-Immediate Load)
Simple Extraction
Single Crown (CAD/CAM)
Single Crown (Impression)
Single Implant (Anterior - Healing Cap)
Single Implant (Anterior-Immediate Load)
Single Implant (Posterior - Healing Cap)
Sinus Lift
Surgical Extraction (3rd Molar)
Surgical Extraction (Other)
Traditional Orthodontics
Veneers (CAD/CAM)
Veneers (Impression)
Whitening with Bleaching Tray
Sealants are liquid coatings that harden on the chewing surfaces of teeth and are showing a great deal of effectiveness in preventing cavities—even on teeth where decay has begun.
The pits and grooves of your teeth are prime areas for opportunistic decay. Even regular brushing sometimes misses these intricate structures on the chewing surfaces of your teeth.
The sealants are applied to the chewing surfaces and are designed to prevent the intrusion of bacteria and other debris into the deep crevices on the tops of teeth.
Sealants actually were developed about 50 years ago, but didn't become commonly used until the 1970s. Today, sealants are becoming widely popular and effective; young children are great candidates for preventative measures like sealants (especially on molars) because in many cases, decay has not set in. Even on teeth where decay is present, sealants have been shown to fight additional damage.
Application
Sealants are applied by first cleaning the tooth surface. The procedure is followed by "etching" the tooth with a chemical substance, which allows the sealant to better adhere. After the sealant is applied, a warm light source is directed to the site to promote faster drying. Sealants usually need re-application every five to 10 years.