Dental sealants are a common procedure that the majority of people experience at least once in their life. Sealants are a plastic-like coating placed over the surface of your teeth. The sealant is usually placed on the back teeth, or molars, and sinks into the natural grooves of your teeth. Dental sealants help protect these teeth from decay and weakening enamel. The procedure is quite simple and relatively painless.
Dental Sealant Procedure
Step 1: The first and most important step is cleaning the teeth. Each tooth is cleaned by a special brush placed on a drill. It’s like a spiced-up version of your normal toothbrush. This brush just ensures there’s absolutely no gunk anywhere on your tooth, especially down in those grooves on your molars. Sometimes a normal drill or sandblaster is used to clean the teeth as well.
Step 2: The teeth will then be conditioned once cleaned. This usually done with a small brush and is a gel-like substance. They call this “etching gel” and it’s only left for up to 60 seconds before being washed off. The gel is acidic in nature and prepares the teeth so they will effectively bond with the sealant. It also ensures that all the bacteria deep down in the grooves of your teeth is removed. They will then dry the teeth and check to make sure the etching gel covered the treatment area. The treated area will have a distinct look alerting the dentist to whether or not an area was covered or not. If any kind of liquid reaches the etched area once it’s been dried, the process will have to be redone.
Step 3: Either using a syringe or brush, the dentist will then place the sealant on your teeth. It will appear as a liquid and is a plastic-like material called resin. There may be other options out there as far as what your sealants are made of, however, this is the most commonly used material for sealants. The liquid form of this substance allows it to reach deep down into the cracks and dips of the chewing surfaces on your teeth.
Step 4: Next, using a small, blue flashlight looking object called a curing light, the dentist will then dry the sealant in place. The sealant will stay in a liquid form until this light is used on it. The specific properties of this light act with properties in the sealant to activate it and make it harden. The light method isn’t always used but, it’s one of the most popular ways to set a sealant. Once dry, the dentist will then check to make sure everything is as it should be then you’ll be sent on your way with protected teeth.
Dental sealants are quick and overall, painless procedure that helps protect people’s teeth from daily wear and tear. They’re common, and most people have them or utilize them, starting from a young age.