Sealants Near Severna Park and Millersville
Dr. Brian Valle is passionate about helping each one of his patients in Severna Park and Millersville, Maryland have a healthy and beautiful smile. Preventative dentistry is an accumulation of specialized dental treatments and at-home oral care habits that will help protect your teeth against dental problems like decay. In our office, we offer many preventative treatments you can choose from, but one of our most popular and effective treatments is dental sealants.
When it comes to dental sealants, it is mainly common for children who have just received their adult, back, molars, but adults also qualify to receive this treatment. Despite efforts to teach children how to brush their teeth, it is common for the back molars to be missed or poorly cleaned. Sealants will protect the back teeth from accumulating food and plaque therefore helping prevent cavities from developing.
Sealant Placement
After Dr. Valle has examined your teeth at your bi-yearly appointment, he will be able to see whether sealants are already existent or if you qualify for ones to be placed. Dental sealants are a voluntary treatment but are highly recommended by all dental professionals.
To start the process of placing a sealant, Dr. Valle will be sure there are no existing cavities on the chewing surfaces of your back molars. Your teeth will have already been cleaned so the process will continue with prepping your teeth to receive the sealant by drying it. We dry the tooth to allow the sealant material to stick strongly to the tooth.
Sealant material is a runny medical-grade dental resin, much like the material used to fill cavities. Material is placed on the chewing surface of the tooth and spread around to ensure it goes into the deep pits and fissures. The sealant is then hardened with the use of blue light. During this process it is essential to keep the tooth dry, any type of moisture will ruin the attachment and the process will need to be repeated.
After the sealant is hardened, it appears almost clear and has a smooth texture.
Benefits of Dental Sealants
- The sealant will fill the deep pits and fissures of the teeth, completely preventing food from getting stuck, which is how most cavities are created.
- Sealants, once hardened, are very strong material and can stay on the tooth for many years. If they do fall off, it is easy to come into our office and get them replaced.
- They are very cost-effective and will prevent pricey restorative procedures that are needed in the future.
Dental sealants are a quick procedure that will greatly impact the health of your smile. Doing all that you can to prevent dental issues from occurring will make and keep your smile strong and beautiful.
If you would like to benefit from a sealant or have your children benefit, please contact our Millersville, Maryland office, Dr. Brain Valle P.A. to schedule an appointment for your sealant. We encourage you to take advantage of each preventative treatment that we offer!