Dental Sealants

Cleaning every little nook and cranny of your teeth isn’t always possible. That’s where dental sealants come in to help you out. Designed to protect your teeth against cavities, sealants are applied by our Orange Park, FL, dentist or one of our hygienists on the back molars where small pits and grooves exist on the top surfaces. This procedure is largely encouraged for children but works great for adult patients as well!

Here’s what you should know about the dental sealant application process.

What Are Dental Sealants?

Best described as thin, plastic coatings that are brushed onto the chewing surface of molars, dental sealants are put in place to fight cavity development. A good analogy to help you understand the purpose of dental sealants is to think of them like a raincoat or even an umbrella. Both shield you from falling rain much like sealants protect your teeth from incoming food debris or plaque.

Dental Sealant Application

You won’t have to worry about sitting in the dental chair for long or experiencing any pain because the dental sealant procedure is simple and painless. In fact, it can be boiled down into 5 easy steps.

1. We’ll start by thoroughly cleaning any tooth in line for sealant application.
2. Each tooth will be dried and an absorbent material is placed around the tooth to ensure it stays dry throughout the procedure.
3. We’ll place an acid solution onto each tooth’s chewing surface to roughen it up and further promote the bond between it and the incoming sealant.
4. Teeth will be rinsed and dried.
5. We’ll paint the sealant onto the tooth enamel, where it will directly bond to the tooth and subsequently harden. We may also use a special curing light to make sure the sealant is fully hardened.

How Long Do Sealants Last?

When taken care of properly with daily brushing and flossing, sealants can last up to 10 years. Dr. Marino and our team will still need to check for chipping or extensive wear during your routine checkup appointments, however. When they need to be replaced, we can easily apply the sealants.

Seal Out Tooth Decay

Our dentist serving Orange Park and Greater Jacksonville, FL, can apply dental sealants onto your or your child’s teeth if you would like extra protection against cavities. Call Marino Family Dentistry today at (904) 269-2185 to request an appointment.