Protectingteeth from cavities is an important part oral hygiene, and in many cases, goodoral hygiene at home isn’t enough.
Whileregular brushing, flossing, and rinsing are strongly encouraged by the AmericanDental Association, there are still places that these methods can’t clear ofbacteria.
Bacteriatend to collect in two main places: around the roots of teeth, and in thecrevices atop them. The crevices on top of teeth are often completely normal,and they are used to grind food into more manageable sizes. The rough valleysin molars especially are havens for bacteria.
Because ofhow these valleys form in order to grind food, there are a lot of places wherebacteria can gather that a toothbrush cannot go.
In order tocombat this, teeth may need to be sealed.
SealingTeeth
Sealants aremost commonly used on the molars, which have a very rough surface. They can,however, be used on other teeth that have an abnormal valley or a change inshape somewhere.
The sealantis a harmless composite resin. The resin is very similar to plastic, but is BPAfree.
The primarypurpose of the resin is to fill in the grooves of the molars and other teeththat have grooves or pits.
Fortunately,this does not adversely affect how well the tooth performs. Instead, by fillingthese grooves, the upper surface of the tooth becomes smoother, which makes itmuch easier to clean with toothbrushes and rinses.
The smoothsurface makes it very difficult for bacteria to cling to the teeth and be ableto grow.
PediatricBenefits of Sealing
Dental sealants areparticularly useful in pediatric dentistry as they notably slow theaccumulation of bacteria in the mouth for children.
Given thesheer number of junk foods, including sodas, candy, and chocolate, amongothers, it can be very easy to develop a cavity in a child’s tooth. Sealantshelp prevent cavities by filling in the areas of teeth most likely to get acavity.
The processof applying a sealant is completely painless and requires no sedation, butsedation dentistry is an option for children who are nervous about the visit. Asa pediatric dentistin Houston, our office is highly focused on cavity prevention and properoral development in children. We not only use smaller equipment for a morecomfortable experience but work closely with parents to train children in healthydental habits.
FillingTeeth
If bacteriaare allowed to collect on a tooth, it will eventually begin damaging it. Thebacteria will deteriorate the mineral layers that protect the tooth beforereaching the enamel and eventually the dentin and dental pulp.
If thisoccurs, your local Houston dentistwill need to remove the bacteria and clear out the decayed portions of thetooth.
This isusually completed using a drill, laser, or air abrasion instrument. These toolsremove sections of teeth that will later be filled.
The fillingitself may take one of several forms, depending on a few factors.
● Gold
● Silver Amalgam
● Porcelain
● Composite Resin
Thesefillings are all dependent upon the location and severity of the tooth decay,as well as the patient’s desire to pay for a certain type of filling.
Naturallooking fillings are generally more expensive, as are fillings that are verydurable. Still, it is important to consider the cost as well as how well thefilling will perform in strengthening the teeth, as well as its appearance inthe mouth.
Resinfillings, while very natural looking, can take some extra time to apply asopposed to a porcelain or metal filling.
These fillings need to be applied in layers andcured before applying each successive layer. Curing a layer just involvesletting it dry and harden.
