Dental Sealants in Melbourne Florida
Dental sealants can provide a great benefit for Melbourne family dental patients who have a high risk of decay due to deep grooves and pits or enamel erosion in the biting surfaces of the teeth. The application procedure is non-invasive, easy, and can provide a barrier for bacteria to prevent cavities.
Oral bacteria excrete acid as a result of their digestive process. So, each time the microbes feast on particles of carbohydrates that have been left in your mouth, acid is released. The acid causes your teeth to decay by dissolving your tooth enamel.
Plaque, food and bacteria that settle in the grooves of the teeth are in direct content with your enamel, so any acid released is barely diluted by your saliva. As a result, it is highly concentrated and more damaging. You may not be able to fully avoid your teeth’s exposure to bacterial acid, but you can protect them using dental sealants.
Teeth in the back of your mouth have the deepest grooves and often incur more cavities.
The back teeth, which are known as molars, are quite different from your other teeth. The biting surfaces are designed to enable you to chew your food into pieces that are small enough to swallow. They are equipped with cuspids that meet in grooves.
For some people, these grooves and pits where the cuspids meet are very deep and difficult to clean. These areas are highly susceptible to tooth decay because food particles and harmful bacteria can become stuck and may be very difficult to remove. If food particles and bacteria are allowed to remain on a tooth for a long period, the tooth can develop a cavity and decay. For dental patients with deep grooves and pits, an application of dental sealants is a perfect solution.
Questions about Sealants?
Here are a few questions that dental patients sometimes have about dental sealants:Do sealants wear away?
Even the highest quality dental sealants may eventually wear away. However, your Melbourne, Florida dentist, Dr. Brazdo can reapply them as needed for continued dental protection.
Does the application of sealants hurt?
You should not experience any discomfort during the application of your dental sealants.
Do sealants negatively impact your health?
Dental sealants are made of plastic, so they may contain BPA. Still, dental sealants are considered quite safe. Any BPA content is well below the safety limits established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Dental sealants can be painted on both permanent and primary teeth, making them a cavity-preventing solution from which the whole family can benefit.
After a sealant is applied, the coated teeth are protected from decay caused by bacterial acids. In addition, the depth of the grooves of the chewing surfaces is reduced, so food and debris are less likely to settle there.
A sealant application for permanent teeth is important because the teeth will never be shed or replaced. However, sealants are also important for primary teeth.
Even though a primary tooth will eventually be replaced by a permanent tooth, the baby tooth serves as a placeholder for the permanent counterpart that will eventually erupt. If the primary tooth is lost too early due to decay, the permanent tooth may not present in proper alignment.
In addition, tooth decay can spread from a primary tooth to adjacent teeth and even to underlying permanent teeth. Thus, the proper protection of a primary tooth is important.
Dental sealants protect the depressions and grooves of your teeth from prolonged contact with food particles and plaque that brushing and flossing can’t reach. The protective barrier from sealants prevents plaque and bacteria from damaging the teeth. Sealants are made from a tooth-colored acrylic that Dr. Brazdo, artfully paints onto the biting surfaces of the teeth after she has thoroughly cleaned them. They are easy to apply, seal in minutes, and will last several years before they will need to be replaced.
Dr. Brazdo understands how harmful and painful a cavity on the biting surface of your tooth can be. Because of this, she will only apply extremely high-quality sealants to her dental patients’ teeth. Knowing that her sealants can stand up to the force of eating for many years gives her confidence in her work and your smile.
Should I Consider Dental Sealants?
Have you struggled with cavities in the biting surfaces of your teeth before?
If your dentist regularly discovers new cavities on the chewing surfaces of your molars, your teeth need additional protection. Improving your eating habits and dental hygiene efforts can help, but placing a barrier between your teeth and harmful substances can certainly lessen your chance of tooth decay.
Do you have sensitivity in the biting surfaces of your teeth?
If your teeth experience discomfort while chewing or from changes in temperature, a dental sealant may help. Your tooth enamel contains pores that are sealed as resin sealants coat your teeth. Ask for dental advice about this anytime.
Do you find it difficult to brush the biting surfaces of your teeth?
Even if you brush meticulously, it can be difficult for the head of a toothbrush to reach the chewing surfaces of the molars at the very back of your mouth.
Do you avoid certain foods because you worry they will become lodged between your cuspids?
Restricting your diet because of a fear of food becoming stuck in your teeth can result in nutrient deficiencies.
If you answered “yes” to any of the above questions, make sure that you discuss dental sealants with your Melbourne, Florida dentist at your next dental appointment. She can confirm that a dental sealant application is the best option for you.