Sealants

Dental treatments that help protect teeth from tooth decay and preserve their health are essential to preventive dentistry. As a part of our comprehensive preventive dentistry services, Dr. Steve A. Sato’s team is pleased to provide our patients with dental sealants.

What Are Sealants?

Dental sealants are made of a simple resin material that is applied to the surface of a patient’s molars. Dental sealants act like tiny shields, protecting each tooth and its enamel from decay.

How Do Dental Sealants Protect Teeth?

Our teeth — especially the back molars — are filled with cracks, crevices, and grooves where food, sugar, acids, and plaque can easily become trapped. Plus, their location makes them even more difficult to clean.

Sealants help protect the molars from tooth decay by smoothing out their surfaces. Additionally, sealants add a strong layer that shields the tooth enamel from bacteria and acids that break down the enamel, causing tooth decay and cavities.

Who Should Get Dental Sealants?

While many people believe that dental sealants are just for children, we recommend them for patients of all ages because they are incredibly effective at preventing tooth decay no matter how young or old you are.

What To Expect When Getting Dental Sealants

Dental sealant application is a simple procedure that can be performed after your regular dental cleaning and examination.

One of our dental hygienists first makes sure the surfaces of your molars are clean and dry. We then apply the sealant (a plastic, resin material) to your tooth with a paintbrush-like applicator. We use a special light to set and harden the material. Once properly cured, we ask you to bite down so that we can adjust the sealant so that your bite feels natural.

And that’s it!

How Long Do Sealants Last?

With proper care and normal wear and tear, dental sealants can last for up to ten years. They do wear out over time, but reapplying them the second, third, or fourth time is just as simple as the first application. To extend the life of your dental sealants (and your teeth), take steps to avoid teeth grinding, jaw clenching, and chewing on hard objects.

Ask About Sealants During Your Next Dental Exam in Dayton

Dental sealants are highly effective preventive dentistry tools, and they’re also incredibly cost-effective. They not only protect your teeth from tooth decay and cavities, but they also protect your bank account from the cost of treating serious dental problems that arise as a result of tooth decay.

To learn more about dental sealants or to get a set of your own, we encourage you to talk with Dr. Sato about them during your next regular dental examination at Steve A. Sato, DDS.