What your family dentist in Crystal, MN, wants you to know about sealants
When you have a child, your child’s health is a major concern. Making sure your child has necessary dental care is a vital part of keeping your child healthy. So, does your child need sealants? The truth is dental sealants are an important safeguard to keep your child’s smile healthy and free of decay. Your family dentist, Dr. Kimberlee Murphy, at Crystal Dental Care in Crystal, MN, wants to share what you should know about dental sealants.
Brushing, flossing, and fluoride help protect against tooth decay, but bacteria can still hide in the deep grooves and crevices on the tooth surface. That’s where sealants can help.
Sealant treatment starts with the application of an etching liquid, which creates tiny pore-like openings in the surface of the tooth. These openings help to retain the sealant material. The etching liquid is rinsed, and the tooth is dried. The liquid sealant material is then flooded into the grooves and crevices, and hardened with a high-tech ultraviolet “curing” light. The result is a hard, protective cover over the deep grooves and crevices. Now, instead of catching bacteria and food debris, the decay-causing substances simply slide off of the tooth surface.
Both children and parents love dental sealants because treatment is:
- Pain-free, needing no anesthetic
- Quick, needing only a few minutes
- Non-invasive, with no tooth structure removed
- Inexpensive, compared to permanent dental fillings
- Invisible, because sealant material is tooth-colored or clear
Your child should have sealants placed on the first permanent molars between the aged of 5 and 7, and on the second permanent molars between the ages of 11 and 14.
Dental sealants are a vital protection against tooth decay, and they can save your child’s smile! Make dental sealants a part of your child’s dental care regimen by calling family dentist Dr. Kimberlee Murphy at Crystal Dental Care in Crystal, MN. Give your child a healthy smile for life by calling today!