While we can’t seal your kid’s lips to keep the family secrets safe, we can seal their teeth to keep their smiles safe. When it comes to protecting teeth against cavities and decay, dental sealants for kids are extremely important. At our pediatric dental office in Long Island, we encourage our patients to get their smiles protected with dental sealants for healthy, decay-free smiles.
Dental sealants are a thin film painted on the teeth and the chewing surfaces. The sealants bond to the surface, depressions, and grooves of the teeth creating a protective shield against bacteria, decay, and cavities.
According to the Academy of General Dentistry, parents should choose sealants as a successful preventive option in their child’s oral health. In most cases, kids should get sealants on their permanent teeth – especially the molars and premolars because of the extra grooves found on these teeth – as soon as they come in. This is the best way to protect permanent teeth for a long period of time. But permanent teeth aren’t the only ones that can benefit from sealants. Sometimes sealants are also used on baby teeth if they have deep grooves. This is often done to keep these important teeth healthy since they act as “placeholders” for correct spacing of permanent teeth.
Sealants are easy and painless to apply, and it only takes a few minutes. After a thorough cleaning, each tooth is dried and prepped for the sealant. The sealant is then painted onto each tooth where it bonds and hardens.
Sealants can last for quite a long time, even protecting smiles for up to 10 years! Despite their longevity, it’s still important for your Long Island pediatric dentist to check the sealants for chipping or typical wear and tear at regular checkups. If necessary, sealants can then be replaced.
If your child’s permanent teeth are erupting, or if their baby teeth have deep grooves, it’s best to think about applying sealants to protect their smiles. Just call our Long Island pediatric dental office to get an appointment scheduled today! We’ll work with you to determine if sealants are right for your kid’s smile.
Serving patients in Long Island, Westbury, and Nassua County.
