Dr. Edward M. Jackson is a Dentist who has answered some of the common questions Bizymoms visitors have about Dental Sealants.
Q. What are dental sealants?
A. Dental sealants are plastic protective coatings painted on the chewing surfaces of the teeth. They have been shown to reduce cavities by as much as 70%.
Q. How do dental sealants work?
A. Sealants work by filling in all of the grooves in our teeth, thereby reducing the places for germs and food to hide. Imagine a driveway with lots of cracks; weeds like to come there. If we get out some tar and roll it over the cracks and fill in the gaps, we reduce the chances of weeds coming in. The same concept can apply for our teeth.
Q. Which teeth are suitable for sealants and how are sealants applied?
A. Sealants are applied very simply and painlessly. They do, however, require some cooperation by the patient. First, we make sure the teeth are clean. Then we isolate each tooth with cotton rolls. This is very important as any contamination by the saliva will inhibit the bonding of the sealant to the tooth (thus the need for some good cooperation). Next we condition the tooth with a phosphoric acid gel (we call it shampoo to the kids). Then we wash off the conditioner, dry the tooth and apply the sealant. Finally, we cure it with a special curing light. The entire procedure take about 2 minutes for each tooth being sealed. Typically, we seal only the permanent molars as they enter the mouth, but any tooth with lots of grooves is a candidate.
Q. Are sealants visible?
A. Sealants can be either clear or tooth-colored. there is no difference in their quality, but the dentist may choose one over the other based upon preference.
Q. Will sealants make teeth feel different?
A. Sealants will alter the bite for a day or two as you are now biting on the sealant which covers the tooth you were biting on before it was placed. The sealant typically wears down a bit with regular eating so that you can "custom-fit" the sealant to your particular tooth/bite. We compare it to breaking in a new pair of shoes. You need to wear them a few times before they are just right. The same applies to sealants.
Q. How long will sealants last?
A. The average sealant lasts about 4 years. However, they do require regular maintainence. Just like your tires need to be replaced periodically because you drive on them, so too your sealants may need to be "touched-up" during that time. Our policy has always been that if you come for a prevention visit every 6 months, we maintain you sealants free of charge.
Q. How to contact Dr. Jackson if we have further questions?
A.
405 State Street
Hackensack, NJ 07601
Phone: 201-487-7030
Fax: 201-487-4418
Email: ejax17@aol.com
Website: http://www.statestreetsmiles.com/
