About Dental Sealants for Kids
Sometimes, even with the best of intentions, daily oral care practices, and even tooth-care tyranny on the part of parents, tooth decay and cavities happen. This is why at Simcoe Kids Dental clinic we recommend dental sealants for kids.
Applied properly, dental sealants have actually been proven to seal out tooth decay in kids between 6 and 14 years of age 100% effectively!
What is this molar magic? Quite simply, dental sealants for kids are a very thin, resinous coating which we carefully apply to the chewing surface of your child’s back teeth. And yes, they really are magical: sealants safeguard these surfaces from cavities by covering them with what amounts to a protective shield that blocks out germs and food, and can actually help prevent unwanted tooth decay and cavities for years and years!
At Simcoe Kids Dental, we highly recommend that your child has dental sealants applied on new, permanent teeth as soon as they erupt. We can check tooth eruption progress during your regular visits and flag qualified teeth for dental sealants as soon as they come in. We may even recommend sealants on baby teeth where we feel it will benefit your child’s oral health in the long-term.
Ultimately, dental sealants can mean fewer unscheduled, unexpected trips to our clinic, and while we absolutely love seeing and treating your child, the less often we have to see them for dental emergencies such as cavities and decay, the happier we, you, and they are! It means we’re doing our job right and that your child’s teeth are on track for toothy grins all the way into old age.
THE FACTS
DENTAL SEALANT BENEFITS
Those back teeth (molars) that you find so tricky to brush and floss? Well, kids find them even trickier! Enter dental sealants: this protective coating shields those vulnerable cavity-prone areas from unwanted gunk, germs, plaque, and food buildup, thus shielding your child from cavities… and you and them from extra trips to the dentist. Here’s a fun fact to seal the deal in our case for dental sealants: some studies show that school-age children without sealants have up to three times more cavities than children with sealants.
DENTAL SEALANT PROCEDURE
This is one of those dental procedures which is actually incredibly simple, quick – and 100% painless. True story! The process? Clean, dry, paint, rinse, paint, dry, voilà! This procedure typically takes about 10-15 minutes, depending on the number of teeth being sealed, and is, in fact, so simple and quick it can even be done as part of a routine dental checkup and clean… most often without your child even noticing it’s being done! Now that’s something to smile about!
DENTAL SEALANT CANDIDATES
While dental sealants are most often applied to new, permanent teeth as they erupt – generally between the ages of 6 and 14 – there are times where we may recommend sealants for baby teeth. If your baby’s teeth are particularly prone to decay (whatever the reason – genetics, illness at a young age, or some other cause), sealants can help ensure they stay healthy long enough to protect the proper spacing required for permanent teeth to grow in.
DENTAL SEALANT AFTERCARE
Following our dental sealant procedure, your child can eat right away and go back to normal oral care routines. Told you it was a simple, painless procedure! We will continue to monitor your child’s new magic shields at all regular visits for possible chipping or leakage, but with all things being equal, dental sealant aftercare is no different than your usual (excellent!) flossing and brushing routines. We do, however, recommend that you remove any hard, sticky, chewy foods (Ice isn’t nice! Gummies are for dummies!) from your child’s diet, as these do contribute to sealant failure.
DENTAL SEALANT LIFESPAN
When properly applied, dental sealants can last up to 10 years under normal wear and tear. Our pediatric dental team will monitor your child’s sealants at every regular visit to ensure they are safely in place and doing their job, and recommend replacement or repair when/if necessary.
The Simcoe Kids Dental Difference
At Simcoe Kids Dental clinic we take an already quick, easy, and painless procedure, and make it a happy one! Our thorough and thoughtful approach to all dental work, even the simple stuff, means that your child leaves our office happy, healthy, and with absolutely no qualms about returning for their next visit.
If you are interested in sealing out cavities for good, ask us about our dental sealant service. Our team can get your child’s molars and premolars magicked in no time in our state-of-the-art kid’s dental clinic. Adding to the stress-free experience? We offer direct insurance billing as well as zero-interest financing options.