Pit and fissure sealants are safe and painless way of protecting teeth from further decay of teeth .It is part of preventive dentistry. A pit is a small depression on the surface of the tooth, whereas fissures are the grooves that naturally occur on all biting surfaces of teeth. Most of the time, the teeth at the back (the premolars and molars) have grooves, exposing them for tooth decay due to food lodgement, increased frequency of eating , no proper rinse and improper brushing habits without the supervision of adults.
A sealant is a protective plastic coating, which is applied to the biting surfaces of the back teeth. The sealant forms a hard shield that keeps food and bacteria from getting into the tiny grooves in the teeth and causing decay. Sealants are applied to posterior teeth which are more prone to caries and sometimes, some teeth naturally have deep grooves which will need to be sealed.
How do pit and
fissure sealants work?
The sealant forms a smooth, protective
barrier by covering all the little grooves and pits in the surface of the
tooth. Dental decay easily starts in these grooves if they are not sealed.
When is the right time for pit and fissure sealants?
Sealants are often applied
as soon as the first permanent teeth start to come through. This is usually
between 6 and 7 years of age. The rest are usually sealed as soon as they
appear which can be any time between 11 and 14 years of age.
The famous saying “Prevention
is better than cure”, having said that it is important to preserve healthy
teeth before time.
@Teeth Care Centre the
pedodontist, specialized in child dentistry, probe the kid teeth and after thorough
dental evaluation of your child's new permanent teeth will determine whether or
not they have pits and fissures and an increased risk exists for developing
dental caries. Having identified if the pits and fissures are deep enough to
warrant the application of a sealant, the dentist will give you this recommendation
for the application of sealants. We believe in using only the best brand and quality of dental
sealants which can last you for years and can always keep dental decay at bay.
However it is imperative to visit your concerned dentist at regular intervals
in order to ensure that, it has not been worn out over a period of time.
Lastly, it is important to
teach children about maintenance and the importance of looking after their
teeth rather than leaving it for further progression to tooth decay.
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