DENTAL SEALANTS

Dental sealants can help prevent cavities in your teeth

What are dental sealants?
Teeth have grooves on their chewing surfaces which are vulnerable to decay. Food and bacteria stick in these spots and are hard to clean. We clean these grooves out to make sure there is no decay, and place sealant material to fill in the grooves, creating a smooth, easier-to-clean surface.

What are the benefits of dental sealants?
Sealants are preventive, less invasive and often less expensive than waiting for a tooth to need a filling. You do not need to be numb to have sealants placed.

What are the risks of a dental sealant?
Sometimes when cleaning out the deep grooves, or removing an existing defective sealant, decay can be found which was not detectable before the grooves were cleaned. We use magnification and bacteria-detecting dye to look for decay. If this happens, we will let you know and place a small filling instead.

Sealants reduce, but do not eliminate, the risk of cavities. They do not prevent cavities between the teeth or at the gum line. Proper oral hygiene, including brushing and flossing, is still necessary. Regular dental checkups are needed to assess your dental sealants, and we will recommend replacing them if they wear out or become defective.