Dental Sealants in Valencia, CA

Dental sealants are thin coatings painted on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says they can prevent cavities for many years.

The chewing surfaces of these teeth are rough and uneven, with pits and grooves where food and germs can get stuck and stay for a long time because toothbrush bristles cannot brush them away. A sealant fills in those pits and grooves and keeps the food out. Sealants are made from medical-grade resins or glass ionomers, and once painted on, the material is cured and hardened to shield the tooth from cavity-causing bacteria.

Sealants prevent 80% of cavities over two years in the back teeth, where 9 in 10 cavities occur, according to the CDC.

School-age children aged 6 to 11 without sealants have almost three times as many cavities in their first molars as children with sealants. Even so, less than half of children and adolescents have them: 42% of children aged 6 to 11 and 48% of adolescents aged 12 to 19 have sealants on their permanent teeth. Sealants are not foolproof, but they can significantly reduce the risk of cavities.

Kids should get sealants on their permanent molars as soon as those teeth come in, which NIDCR puts at around age six for the first molars and around age 12 for the second molars.

The sooner sealants are placed, the less chance there is for decay to infect the surfaces of those teeth. Baby teeth with deep depressions and grooves can sometimes be sealed too, because baby teeth hold space for the adult teeth and it is important that they are not lost too early.

Adults can get dental sealants, and Cleveland Clinic says adults without decay or fillings in their molars can benefit, along with anyone who is prone to decay on their back teeth.

Young adults are worth a mention: adults aged 20 to 34 have more untreated cavities in their back teeth than any other age group, so they may benefit from sealants. Sealants are not placed on teeth that already have decay, fillings or crowns, and people with partially erupted teeth will not benefit from them.

Dental sealants are applied in a few minutes per tooth during a routine office visit, and Cleveland Clinic lists the steps a dentist or hygienist follows, with nothing you need to do to prepare:

There is no downtime afterward. You or your child can go back to work or school right away and eat and drink normally.

Dental sealants can prevent cavities for many years, according to the CDC, while Cleveland Clinic gives a shorter figure: sealants last up to about five years and need replacing every now and then.

Sealants are not permanent, so they need to be replaced on a regular basis. Extremely hard, sticky or chewy foods can chip or wear down sealants, so it is best to eat those in moderation. Routine dental visits, at least every six months, are when your dentist or hygienist checks your teeth and makes treatment recommendations.

Whether dental sealants are necessary depends on the person and the tooth, and Cleveland Clinic calls them a safe and effective way to reduce cavity risk that costs less than other treatments and can lower the chance of needing more invasive dental work later.

There are a few downsides to know. Sealants need replacing every now and then, they cannot be placed on teeth with existing decay or fillings, and if they are not placed properly they can seal in bacteria and cause cavities. Sealants also do not replace daily care: children should still brush with fluoride toothpaste twice a day and see a dentist for regular checkups.

Smile Care Valencia offers dental sealants for children and teens as their permanent back teeth come in, for adults with deep grooves and no decay, and occasionally for baby teeth with deep grooves. Our office on Valencia Blvd. serves Valencia and the Santa Clarita Valley.

A routine exam and cleaning is a good time to ask whether sealants are right for you or your child. For care for the whole family, see family dentistry.