October is National Orthodontic Health Month and we always celebrate it with 50% off dental sealants. Don’t know what sealants are? Let’s review the basics!

Why place dental sealants?

Dental sealants protect your child’s adult teeth from cavities or decay. Kids and teens are particularly prone to dental caries as they are less skilled with oral hygiene and they are learning to make responsible dietary choices. Dental sealants, made of a flowable version of the tooth colored bonding resin called “composite,” fill grooves to make them shallower and easier to brush. This creates a barrier between teeth and mouth bacteria.

Brushing and flossing are great, but sometimes you need more protection. The deep grooves on the biting surfaces of the adult molars are deep and typically cannot be reached by tooth brush bristles that are too large to reach the depth. The shape of the teeth, history of cavities in baby teeth and family predisposition to tooth decay are all factors that tell your dentist whether your child is particularly vulnerable and would benefit from the protection of dental sealants.

Applying sealants before tooth decay even starts is the best practice. Once a cavity forms and the tooth needs to be repaired, it will never be as strong as it was. Prevention is everything in health care and the same applies to dentistry.

Does it hurt? How does it work?

Applying dental sealant is truly painless. Your dentist would clean and prepare the enamel surface before brushing the liquid resin over your teeth. After curing with a special blue light, the resin will harden. This takes only a few minutes, from application to drying.

The sealant fills in the grooves in the teeth, especially the deep pits on the molars that trap food particles. The sealant prevents this from happening, and shields the teeth from cavity-causing acids and bacteria.

You still have to brush and floss, and your dentist will check and reapply sealants when needed. Sealants last quite a while (up to 10 years!), but they wear off naturally from the abrasive forces of chewing.

Give us a call today to schedule an appointment for your child to have their molars sealed to help prevent tooth decay on these foundational adult teeth.

About Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan, the offices of Drs. Plunkett, Ralstrom, Makowski, Thanasas, Ker, and Associates

Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan have specialized in pediatric dentistry and orthodontics since 1968. Our family-friendly and newly renovated office gives patients and families a more comfortable and consistent experience with dentistry from the very beginning. Our pediatric dentists treat children from newborn to 18 years of age while our orthodontists provide care for both children and adults and are proud to be Premier Providers of Invisalign and Invisalign Teen services. The ability to treat all patients with compassion and individuality, including those that may have special needs reaches beyond our facility, which has treatment rooms available for children who require additional privacy and customized care options.  We pioneered valued hospital affiliations to allow dental services to be performed at DMC Children’s Hospital and St. John Macomb Hospital, when appropriate or necessary, and our specialists are also proud to be on staff at Henry Ford and Beaumont hospitals.

39400 Garfield Rd., Suite 200
Clinton Township, MI
48038
US
Phone: 586-286-0700
Fax: 586-286-5932