Dental Sealants in Harriston, ON

Dental sealants are thin resin coatings painted onto the premolars and molars to protect against cavities. Sealants are usually recommended for young children aged between 6 and 13, as they’re susceptible to tooth decay.

Once applied, tooth sealants effectively protect against 80 percent of cavities during the first two years and 50 percent after that. When combined with proper oral hygiene, sealants in Harriston, ON can help your child avoid childhood cavities. If you’re interested in sealants near you, please contact Harriston Family Dentistry to book a consultation.

Why Are Sealants Important?

The back teeth contain deep grooves and fissures that can trap food debris and bacteria. Even with adequate brushing and flossing, food may remain trapped in these grooves, facilitating the formation of cavities.

Sealants protect the back teeth by creating a barrier between the teeth and cavity-causing factors such as food debris, plaque, bacteria, and acids. This way, even the food debris and bacteria that may remain on the teeth have no access to the tooth enamel.

Sealants are an essential component of preventive dentistry, particularly in young children. Adults, too, can get dental sealants, provided they don’t have any restorations or active cavities on their premolars and molars.

The Treatment Process

Our dentists in Harriston, ON begin by evaluating your teeth to determine your suitability for sealants. As mentioned in the previous section, you cannot get sealants on teeth with cavities or fillings.

If you’re a fitting candidate for sealants, the dentist cleans your teeth thoroughly to eliminate food debris, plaque, and bacteria. The dentist then gently etches your teeth using an etching solution. When the teeth surfaces are rough, the sealant material can adhere better.

After etching the teeth, the dentist rinses off the acid etching solution and then applies the resin or sealant material to the teeth. It takes a couple of minutes to seal each tooth. A curing light may be used to harden the sealant material.

Remember, sealants can become worn, which reduces their effectiveness. Therefore, we encourage our patients to schedule regular dental exams with our dentists near you. This way, our dentists can closely monitor the sealants and recommend re-application, if necessary.

Are you looking to safeguard your child’s teeth against cavities? Please reach out to Harriston Family Dentistry to schedule an appointment today.