Sealants To Protect Kids’ Teeth

How dental sealants from your pediatric dentists in El Cajon, CA, can save your child’s smile

Kids love sugar, but sugar doesn’t love their teeth. Sugar causes tooth decay. Fortunately, there is an important weapon in the fight against tooth decay. It’s called dental sealants, and sealants can help your child enjoy a lifetime of decay-free smiles.

Dr. Michael Maurer and Dr. Gary Olen at Pediatric and Adolescent Dentistry and Orthodontics in El Cajon, CA, offer comprehensive dental care and orthodontics for children, including dental sealant treatment to save your child’s smile.

So, how do sealants work? They provide a strong seal over the deep grooves and fissures on the chewing surfaces of teeth. Every tooth has normal tooth anatomy which helps chew food.

Unfortunately, tooth anatomy also can harbor the bacteria which cause tooth decay. Even with excellent brushing, decay-causing bacteria can still hide out in difficult access areas like deep grooves and fissures.

Sealants are placed over the top of the tooth anatomy of permanent molars, creating a tooth surface that bacteria and food debris can’t cling to. Bacteria and food debris simply slide off when your child eats or brushes their teeth.

Kids and parents alike love dental sealants because they are:

• Effective, providing an extra layer of protection for teeth
• Safe, with all products tested and approved by the American Dental Association
• Painless, because sealant treatment doesn’t require anesthetic
• Quick, because each tooth takes only a few minutes
• Economical, because sealants cost only a fraction of other restorative treatments

Sealants should be placed on the first permanent molars when your child is 5 to 7 years old, and on the second molars when your child is 11 to 14 years old. A tooth should be fully erupted when a sealant is placed, and delayed eruption can result in waiting longer for a sealant to be placed.

To learn more about the benefits of dental sealants and how they can save your child’s smile, call Dr. Michael Maurer and Dr. Gary Olen at Pediatric and Adolescent Dentistry and Orthodontics in El Cajon, CA, at (619) 440-5915. Call now!