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A Sealants are a safe and painless
way or protecting your children's teeth from decay.
A sealant is a protective plastic coating, which
is applied to the biting surfaces of the back teeth.
The sealant forms a hard shield that keeps food and
bacteria from getting into the tiny grooves in the
teeth and causing decay.
A Sealants are only applied to the
back teeth - the molars and premolars. These are
the teeth that have pits and fissures on their biting
surfaces. Your dentist will tell you which teeth
should be sealed after they have examined them, and
checked whether the fissures are deep enough for
sealing to help. Some teeth naturally form with deep
grooves, which will need to be sealed, others with
shallow ones which will not need sealing
A The process is usually quick and straightforward
taking only a few minutes per tooth. The tooth is thoroughly
cleaned, prepared with a special solution, and dried. The
liquid sealant is then applied and allowed to set hard -
usually by shining an ultraviolet light onto it.
A No, it is totally pain free, and
the teeth do not feel any different afterwards.
A Sealants usually last for many
years, but your dentist will want to check them regularly
to make sure that the seal is still intact. They
can wear over time, and sometimes the dentist needs
to add or replace some sealant to be sure that no
decay can start underneath them.
A The sealant forms a smooth, protective
barrier, by covering all the little grooves and dips
in the surface of the tooth. Dental decay easily
starts in these grooves.
A Sealants are often applied as soon as
the permanent teeth start to come through. This is usually
between 6 and 7 years of age. The rest are usually sealed
as soon as they appear which can be any time between 11 and
14 years of age.
A Most dentists offer fissure sealing.
It may be available on the NHS and is not expensive.
But in many cases it is available only privately.
The cost varies from dentist to dentist, but it is
usually good value. |
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A Yes. It is still vital that
they do this. The smooth, sealed surface is now
much easier to keep clean and healthy with
normal toothbrushing. Using a fluoride
toothpaste will also help to protect your children's
teeth. Pit and fissure sealing reduces tooth decay
and the number of fillings your child might need.
A If you would like to know more
about the treatment, ask your dentist or hygienist.
They will tell you if fissure sealing will help your
children's teeth, and if it is the right time to
do it
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