DEFINITION:

A sealant is a thin layer of plastic that protects the occlusal surface (i.e. chewing surface) of a tooth. They are generally placed on molars and premolars to protect these teeth from cavities.

The surfaces of those teeth contain natural grooves where dental plaque can easily accumulate. This plaque can be hard to remove, therefore, if plaque stays a long time in the grooves, a cavity can easily develop.

The procedure to place a sealants is done without any pain, following these steps:

•Thorough cleaning of the teeth.

•Elimination of the starting cavity in the groove of the teeth, if present.

•Application of an acidic solution on the surface of the tooth for a few seconds to make it rough, helping the bond.

•Rinsing and drying of the tooth.

•Application of a liquid sealant to the tooth, forming a direct bond. The liquid is hardened with a blue light.

•Sometimes the dentist can decide to put a composite restorative material (white filling) as a sealant, allowing more resistance.

APPLICATIONS:

Sealants should be applied for:

•Erupted molars and premolars of kids between the ages of six and fourteen.

•Primary teeth that have deep groves (for kids).

Therefore, ideal candidates for sealants are kids and teenagers, since they are the ones with the most risk for cavities. Sealants can be applied to adults, though they have a lower risk for cavities.

SOURCES:     Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (www.wikipedia.org).

                            WebMD, better information, better health (www.webmd.com).