Dental sealants are just like a protective zest to the tooth surface, especially the chewing surface. The chewing surface of the tooth also known as the occlusal surface is the most prone surface to decay by the pathologic microbes as it is bombarded by the favorable conditions of the microbes namely the substrate(food particles), the time , the forces and the environment. Sealants are just like invisible plastic coating that flows or covers the pits and the fissures present on the occlusal surface of the posterior teeth. This shielding coating protects the tooth from being attacked by the microbe and thereby causing the decay or dental caries.
Who all should get sealants done?
Kid’s teeth are the most favorite target of the pathologic microbes as all the conditions needed by a microbe are easily available in oral cavity of a child ,may be because of negligible or careless care towards the oral cavity. Henceforth, it is advisable that kid’s teeth should get the sealant done specially in the permanent molars as soon as they erupt in the oral cavity because the pits and fissures of the molars are the first target of the pathogens. This way, a child’s tooth can be protected from caries specially during the decay prone age which is between 6 to 14 years. Sealants can also be applied over the baby teeth upon the depressions and grooves scribed on the tooth surface so that they are not lost early due to decay.
How are sealants applied?
There are few steps which need to be followed for the fruitful results at the end of the procedure.
• The tooth to be sealed needs to be cleaned thoroughly for debris, food particles etc.
• The concerned tooth needs to be dried thoroughly in order to seal the tooth surface properly.
• 37 percent phosphoric acid (etchant) is applied over the occlusal surface of the posterior tooth in order to roughen the enamel surface. This process is known as the enamel-etching or acid-etching. This is important for creation of micro porosities in order to allow better adaptation of sealant with the tooth surface.
• The tooth surface is then washed off for excess etchant and dried properly.
• In some cases, bonding agent may also be coated over the tooth surface and cured under blue LED light for 15-30 seconds. However, this step may be skipped in some cases as well due to some controversial theories behind it.
• Before application of sealant an effective isolation is must.
• The flow able sealant is applied into the pits and fissures on the tooth surface properly layer by layer. Then this thin coating need to be cured with the help of blue LED curing light for some number of counted cycles as per the timer set in the light.
• After final curing the sealant layer can be checked with the help of an instrument in order to make sure the proper placement of the sealant layer. This check is important because, generally the sealants are transparent in color so it becomes difficult to identify from the naked eyes sometimes.
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