Prevention is often more effective than offering treatment—and dental care is no exception! Cavities in children are highly common, but they can have a serious impact on your child’s current and future teeth for several years to come. To prevent that, when your pediatric dentist in Honolulu notices various cavities, they may recommend getting dental sealants.
Sealants work like a shield for your child’s back teeth, keeping food particles, bacteria, and decay away—but is it truly the right treatment option? Here, we’ll explore some positive and negative aspects of this pediatric dental practice.
What Are Dental Sealants?
Dental sealants are thin protective covers added to the chewing surfaces of molars and premolars. It helps prevent food accumulation in these deep crevices, which is one of the main causes of tooth decay in children—and adults, too!
Sealants coat deep pits and fissures where bacteria and food particles accumulate so decay can’t reach them. Manufacturers create sealants using a variety of materials, including medical-grade:
- Resins (plant or synthetic).
- Glass ionomers (glass powder combined with a water-soluble acid).
After application, the sealant material is cured and hardened by a dentist to protect your teeth from dangerous bacteria that cause cavities.
The Value of Sealants for Preventing Children’s Tooth Decay
Anyone can get dental sealants, from children and teenagers to adults. However, they’re often recommended for kids as they are more prone to tooth decay on their back teeth, which are permanent molars and premolars.
Unlike adult enamel, children’s enamel is still developing, which is why it can be more vulnerable to cavities. Combine that with a sugar-prone diet and a frequent unsatisfactory oral hygiene routine, and you have a recipe for frequent toothaches and regular dental visits.
Jokes aside, cavities in children can be especially damaging due to various reasons:
- Rapid Progression: The thinner enamel in children’s teeth makes it easier for cavities to penetrate deep into the tooth and reach the pulp quickly, often causing pain, infection, or abscesses if left untreated.
- Potential for Invasive Treatment: Caries not addressed quickly often require more complex and invasive treatments, such as extractions or pediatric crowns. General anesthesia may be needed in severe cases, posing added risks and costs.
- Impact on Development: Untreated cavities can lead to difficulty eating, interfering with a child’s chewing and nutrition. This can also affect speech development, sleep, and even trouble concentrating at school.
To prevent all of this, pediatric dentists recommend dental sealants for children ages 6 through 14 during their cavity-prone years.
What Are the Benefits of Dental Sealants?
Dental sealants are a simple, painless, and highly effective treatment. By preventing food particles and bacteria from settling in areas where toothbrush bristles may not reach easily, sealants can reduce the risk of cavities by up to 80% in molars, according to the CDC.
Moreover, it’s a fast and noninvasive treatment, taking just a few minutes per tooth to apply. It’s pain-free; no drilling or numbing is needed. This means it’s easy to apply, even with squirmy or anxious kids.
In the long run, sealants also help avoid the need for more expensive and invasive treatments like fillings, crowns, or extractions down the road. Many dental plans cover sealants for children, and the cost is generally much lower than restorative work.
Then, What Are the Downsides of Dental Sealants?
While dental sealants offer excellent protection against cavities, there are a few potential downsides to be aware of. For starters, they’re not a substitute for brushing and flossing. Sealants only protect the chewing surface. They don’t cover the sides or areas in between teeth.
For that reason, regular brushing, flossing, and fluoride use are still essential. However, patients often relax a bit too much after getting sealants, failing to maintain their oral health properly.
Additionally, if a sealant is placed over a tooth with early-stage decay not properly cleaned out, it might trap bacteria underneath. The same happens if sealants aren’t placed properly, as they can seal in bacteria and cause cavities. For that reason, proper application technique and tooth assessment are crucial.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dental Sealants
Are you still unsure if this treatment is right for your child? Here are some FAQs about sealants to help you decide.
How Long Do Dental Sealants Last?
With proper care, sealants can last up to 5–10 years. Over time, they can chip or wear away with chewing or even be lost completely without being noticed. Regular exams and reapplications may be needed during that time.
Can You Apply Dental Sealants to Primary Teeth?
Dental sealants are occasionally also applied to baby or primary teeth, particularly if your child has baby teeth with deep grooves and depressions. Maintaining the space for adult teeth to erupt depends on baby teeth, so it is critical to keep them healthy to prevent premature loss.
Sealants can protect these areas.
How Common Are Sealants?
Nowadays, one of the most popular preventive dentistry procedures is the application of sealants. Approximately 48% of adolescents aged 12 to 19 and 42% of children aged 6 to 11 in the United States have dental sealants on their adult (permanent) teeth.
Do I Have to Prepare my Child for Sealants?
Dental sealants do not require any preparation. Your dentist or hygienist can place them during a standard office visit. To avoid bacteria getting stuck between the sealant material and your tooth surfaces, they will thoroughly clean your child’s teeth first and then curate the sealants.
What Recovery Time Do Dental Sealants Have?
There’s no downtime after dental sealant placement. You can return to work or school right away. As soon as your appointment is over, your child can start eating and drinking normally again.
It is crucial to be aware, though, that foods that are very chewy, sticky, or hard can erode or chip your new sealants. These foods should be consumed in moderation.
Protect Your Child’s Health for Years to Come with a Pediatric Dentist in Honolulu
Dental sealants are a simple and effective treatment. While patients may neglect their oral health after feeling overly confident with them, the benefits far outweigh the downsides. When applied properly and monitored regularly, dental sealants are a safe, cost-effective way to prevent decay in molars.
If your child is prone to cavities, consider getting them. Contact Kidshine Pediatric Dentistry to schedule an appointment and learn more!