Sealants

What Are Dental Sealants?

Brushing and flossing are the best ways to help prevent cavities, but it's not always easy to adequately clean every depression and groove of your teeth. This is especially true of your molars, the back teeth you use to chew. Dental sealants add extra protection for the grooved and pitted areas that toothbrushes can't reach all the way into.

Dental sealants are thin, protective coatings applied to the chewing surfaces of your molars and premolars. The sealant quickly bonds to the teeth, forming a protective shield over the enamel of each tooth. This barrier helps prevent food particles and bacteria from settling into the deep grooves where decay often starts.

Sealants are a quick, easy, and painless way to help prevent cavities.

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Who Benefits from Sealants?

Because of the ease and likelihood of developing decay in the depressions and grooves of the premolars and molars, children and teenagers are commonly candidates for sealants. Applying sealants soon after permanent molars come in gives them the best protection during the cavity-prone years.

However, adults can also benefit from sealants. A tooth without a cavity is stronger and healthier than a tooth with a filling or untreated decay. Sealants are less expensive and easier to apply than fillings and can last many years. As you age, new dental sealants can be placed on your molars if needed.

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How Do I Know If I Need Sealants?

The best way to determine if sealants are a good solution for you or your children is by making an appointment with your dentist. We can examine your teeth, make an accurate diagnosis, and give you our recommended treatment plan.

If you think you or your children might benefit from sealants, please reach out. Sealants are a commonly performed procedure that can help prevent more serious problems down the road.

Book an appointment with one of our dentists at Eastern Dental of Vineland to find out if sealants can help you.