Dental Sealants
Our dental sealant process will make you smile. Schedule your appointment today at one of our convenient Long Island locations: Port Washington or Massapequa
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Dental Sealants at Our Port Washington Dental Clinic
At 3V Dental Associates, our dentists specialize in dental sealant applications for patients of all ages. Dental sealants are used to fill in narrow grooves in a tooth that cannot be adequately cleaned by brushing. In some cases, the tooth structure has fine grooves or pits which accumulate plaque, not because the person doesn’t brush, but because they’re too narrow to allow even one bristle into them. These will develop cavities over time, and you don’t want that. So the dentist will brush on a coating that seals the grooves and pits, making it possible to brush off all the plaque and keep your teeth healthy.
Did you know: According to the American Dental Association, sealants have been shown to reduce the risk of decay by nearly 80% in molars.
What Are Dental Sealants?
A dental sealant is a thin coating composed of plastic or other man made material that’s applied to the chewing surfaces of the back teeth [premolars or molars] to prevent them from decaying. Because the surfaces of premolars and molars are uneven and rough, even the most careful brushing and flossing can’t always completely clean food particles from the teeth. Sealants form a protective shield by bonding into the hard-to-reach grooves of the teeth.
Dental sealants prevent cavities from forming and can potentially reduce the risk of cavities in premolars and molars by nearly 80 percent. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that school-age children who’ve not had their teeth protected with sealants “have almost three times more cavities” than those who have sealants protecting their teeth.
When bacteria combine with leftover food particles, acids form that can cause cavities in an unprotected tooth. However, sealants will keep out the bacteria and acids and prevent holes from forming in the tooth.
Are You a Candidate for Dental Sealants?
Dental sealants are beneficial for all ages, but obviously the younger the child is whose teeth are sealed, the less likely they’ll ever develop cavities in the protected teeth. For ultimate protection, children should have their permanent back teeth sealed as soon as they’ve fully erupted. Even baby teeth can benefit from sealants to prevent early loss.
How Are Dental Sealants Applied?
You might wonder, “How are sealants applied?” The process is simple, quick and painless. Either a dentist or hygienist can perform the procedure here at our Port Washington office. He must first thoroughly clean the tooth. He then dries the tooth and surrounds it with an absorbent material, such as cotton, to ensure it stays dry. Then he applies an acidic gel on the chewing surface of the tooth, which makes it rough. This helps the sealant adhere to the tooth. He then rinses and dries the tooth and applies the sealants in the grooves of the tooth enamel. It will then harden, often with the help of a blue curing light.
How Long Do Sealants Last?
Sealants are effective for as long as 10 years. Regular dental exams and cleanings will detect wearing or chipping. If necessary, the sealants can be replaced.
Sealants can be applied over early cavities to prevent them from becoming larger and damaging the teeth further. The dentist might use clear sealants so he can detect any growth of the cavity in the future.
Sealants are very safe aside from any allergy the patient might have to the chemicals used.
To schedule your sealant consultation for your or your child, please contact our office today. A friendly 3V Dental Associate is standing by to assist you.
This article has been reviewed and/or authored by Dr. Irina Kellerman
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You're in good hands
Protect your smile with dental sealants. Applied to the chewing surfaces of teeth, sealants provide a barrier against decay, keeping your teeth healthy and cavity-free for longer.
Preventative Protection
Shield your teeth from decay with dental sealants, an effective preventive measure that creates a protective barrier against cavity-causing bacteria, ensuring long-term oral health.
Child-Friendly
Safeguard your child’s smile with dental sealants, a painless and non-invasive procedure that provides durable protection against cavities, promoting a lifetime of healthy teeth.
Cost-Effective
Invest in your dental health with sealants, a cost-effective solution that helps prevent cavities and the need for more extensive dental work in the future.
FAQ's
Your dentist at 3V Dental will make recommendations regarding the timing of dental
cleanings. At a minimum, you optimize your oral health by having dental cleanings at least twice a year. As was noted a moment ago, if you have special needs, you may want to schedule more frequent cleanings during the course of a year.
Dental cleanings are a vital part of your overall oral health regimen. There are a variety of key benefits that you obtain through regular, professional dental cleanings. At 3V Dental in Port Washington, we’re proud to offer cost effective dental cleanings for you and your family!
3V Dental Offers Complete Dental Care and Cleanings
The complete dental cleaning and checkup process includes a number different things, depending in part on how long it has been since you last had an appointment with your dentist. In addition to the actual cleaning process, your dentist will also conduct a physical examination of your teeth and gums.
X-rays may be recommended if a year or more has lapsed between your visit to the dentist. Your dentist will examine your mouth for any sign of oral cancer. Finally, your dentist will examine your bite to ensure that there are no issues.
Once these steps are completed, your dentist or a dental hygienist will do the actual teeth cleaning. Dental cleaning is designed to plaque and tartar from your teeth. The reality is that even if you follow your dentist’s recommendations regarding brushing your teeth and flossing, plaque and tartar can build up in places that you just cannot effectively reach through brushing and flossing.
Reversing Gingivitis with Dental Cleanings
One of the key benefits of dental cleanings if that they can reverse gingivitis in many cases. Gingivitis is the first stage of serious gum disease that can result in permanent damage.
In some cases, you may need more than one dental cleaning to get gingivitis under control and to move towards eliminating it. Into the future, to prevent a recurrence of gingivitis, you may need to up the frequency of your visit to the dentist.
Proper intervention through dental cleanings prevents gingivitis from developing into more advanced periodontitis. Periodontitis is very serious and can result in permanent, irreversible gum damage.
Dental Cleanings Prevent Larger More Serious Issues
Dental cleanings provide the most important time at which a dentist is able to identify other problems that may afflict a patient. For example, it is during the comprehensive dental cleaning process that a dentist can identify cavities.
It is crucial that a cavity be dealt with in a timely manner. The failure to do so can result in it growing and causing bacterial infection to develop in the pulp of a tooth. Such a development can cause significant damage to a person’s tooth structure and be extremely painful.
Ready to schedule your dental cleaning and be on your way to healthy teeth and gums? Contact our office today to speak to one of our amazing associates!
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Port Washington: 516-944-7000
Massapequa: 516-507-3003