Sealants
Sealants
Even people who brush regularly can sometimes miss the pits and grooves on the surface of teeth, which are prime areas for decay to develop. To prevent the intrusion of decay creating bacteria, a thin coating of sealant is applied.
Sealants are growing in popularity, even though they were developed roughly 50 years ago. Application of a sealant follows a cleaning of the surfaces of teeth. The tooth is then etched with an abrasive substance in order that the sealant can better adhere to surfaces. A warm light is then used to dry the sealant.
Since decay has not developed, children are ideal for the application of sealants, although sealants are also known to be effective even after decay has already set in.