Find out more about dental sealants and how they can protect against decay.
It might seem hard to believe, but your child is susceptible to dental decay the minute their first tooth appears. If you are concerned about 
how to properly care for your little one’s smile, or just want to do whatever you can to protect it against damage, talk to your Roanoke, VA pediatric dentists at Hunting Hills Family Dentistry about sealants.
What is a dental sealant?
A dental sealant is a plastic layer that is placed over the chewing surface of your child’s molars and premolars to prevent cavities from occurring. Even though brushing and flossing are the two best ways to ensure your child doesn’t develop decay, it can be difficult to get your toothbrush into every nook and cranny of those back teeth. Since these back teeth are more susceptible to decay, it’s important that your little one gets dental sealants to protect their oral health.
How is a dental sealant applied?
This process is fairly simple and completely painless. The dentists at Hunting Hills Family Dentistry can even place sealants over your child’s teeth during their next six-month dental cleaning. Just be sure to tell your Roanoke children’s dentist before you schedule your little one’s next visit.
We will first perform a standard dental cleaning to make sure their teeth are free from plaque and tartar. Then we will paint the chewing surface of the teeth with the sealant, which will instantly bond with the tooth and harden. Even though it’s made from a plastic resin, your child will never even notice they have sealants. And as long as the sealant remains completely intact, your child’s teeth should be protected.
Of course, we will need to check the health of your child’s sealants during their six-month visits, so it’s important that you continue to keep up with these routine visits. Sealants will need to be reapplied every few years.
Want to find out if your child is the right age for sealants? Then schedule their next six-month cleaning with their Roanoke, VA dentist at Hunting Hills Family Dentistry and let us know that you are interested in getting sealants for your little one.