You have heard the words before but not sure what they mean or what they do? How can you even know if you actually need them if you don’t understand what they stand for? Don’t you worry, here we’ll talk briefly about dental sealants. We’ll understand their purpose and why some dentists might insight on their placement. Take a read!
What are fissure sealants ?
Pits and fissures on the occlusal teeth surfaces provide a shelter for bacterial proliferation.Toothbrush bristles are too wide to fit into these areas,making complete plaque removal impossible.A fissure sealant is a material that provides an impervious barrier to the fissure system to prevent the development of caries.
Is there a need for sealants?
In developed cantries a decrease in caries has been noticed the recent years but has not been uniform for all tooth surfaces. Part of this reduction is an easier availabilty of fluoride ,leading to a greater reduction in approximal,rather that pit and fissure caries. Therefore the need for a method of occlusal caries prevention is even mpore pressing.
Are sealants effective?
To be effective, they need to be carefully applied to susceptible teeth, especially in recently erupted molars (mostly the first molars). Sealants should be monitored and replaced if lost. For maximum benefit ,teeth should be sealed as soon as practicable after eruption and certainly within two years.
Athina Tsiorva