At What Age Are Dental Sealants on Teeth Most Effective?
Tooth decay is a chronic issue among children affecting them frequently because they favor sugary and starchy foods and neglect appropriate dental hygiene practices. Parents of children must understand tooth decay is preventable by encouraging their kids to brush and floss daily and visiting the pediatric dentist for six monthly exams and cleaning.
While brushing and flossing are adequate to prevent tooth decay getting an additional barrier of protection over the child’s molars with dental sealants proves incredibly beneficial. Dental sealants are a thin and enduring plastic coating painted on the chewing surfaces of the molars to create a smooth layer over them to protect the tooth enamel. Brushing teeth helps remove dental plaque and food particles trapped in the pits and fissures of the molars. Unfortunately, children might not have the motor skills needed to get inside the grooves and crevices of the molars. Sealants help to protect these vulnerable surfaces by keeping food particles and dental plaque out.
Optimal Age for Getting Dental Sealants
A misconception exists in people’s minds that dental sealants are created exclusively for children. Unfortunately, the truth is entirely different because people of all ages can have dental sealants on the chewing surfaces of their molars. Children with molars emerging between six and 12 benefit significantly from an application of sealants because of their lack of diligence in maintaining appropriate dental hygiene. However, adults without restorations or decay in their molars can also benefit from applying dental sealants.
Ideal Time for Getting Sealants
Sealing the premolars and molars soon after they emerge is the ideal time for children to get sealants. The smooth surface the adhesive creates protects children’s teeth through their cavity-prone ages between six and 12. Baby teeth having deep grooves also benefit from sealant application if the child is old enough to tolerate the procedure.
Why do Children Need Dental Sealants?
The pediatric dentist near you recommends children receive sealants on their molars to prevent cavities early. Children having cavities on their primary teeth will likely have holes in their permanent teeth and confront challenges.
If you have your child receive dental sealants in Trafalgar, IN, the application protects their molars against 80 percent of cavities for a couple of years, and the safeguard remains on their teeth against 50 percent of holes for another four years. Dental sealants stay on the teeth for up to nine years, helping prevent cavities before they start.
Cavities do not develop overnight on the tooth. Your mouth bacteria feeds on the sugary and starchy foods children have to deposit toxins on their teeth to cause enamel erosion. Dental sealants near you placed on your child’s teeth fill the deep pits and fissures of the molars to prevent entrapment of food particles to keep bacteria away from the molars. In addition, the sealants allow your child to clean their teeth correctly because of the smooth surface they create.
Dental sealants are excellent for children between six and 12 when their first permanent members begin emerging. You can discuss getting dental sealants for their first molars and get them another application over their second molars at age 12.
Aren’t Dental Sealants Expensive?
Dental sealants on your kid’s molars will not cost a considerable sum because the prices range between $ 30-$ 60 per tooth. In addition, insurance and discount plans can further reduce the costs.
Dental sealants, besides being affordable, are applied by the dentist in a comfortable procedure causing no pain to your child. The dentist completes the application in under 30 minutes and allows your child to leave with smooth molars without pits and fissures to ensure the application saves you time and money that you otherwise spend visiting dentists for treatments.
If the costs of dental sealants ring bells of concern in your mind, the thought of saving money by having them on children’s teeth will undoubtedly make you happy because children without adhesives are three times more likely to develop cavities on their teeth and require treatments like fillings and root canals from dentists to restore teeth. On the other hand, dental sealants help prevent cavities by creating a safety barrier over the molars to protect children’s teeth as best possible.
Indian Creek Family Dentistry provides dental sealants in Trafalgar for children and adults with unrestored teeth. If you think your child needs this protective barrier, kindly schedule an appointment with this practice to have this beneficial treatment for their molars.