Is Your Child A Good Candidate for Dental Sealants?

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention notes that 70 percent of children will experience cavities in their teeth by the age of 19. If left untreated, these cavities can lead to tooth loss and a lifetime of dental problems. Dental sealants are an option that protects the chewing grooves of the teeth from getting cavities.

Understanding Dental Sealants

A dental sealant is a thin, plastic coating that is applied to chewing surfaces to prevent the tiny grooves and fissures in young teeth from developing cavities. These sealants bond into the small depressions, protecting teeth from bacteria that cause dental caries (cavities). The sealant is applied on teeth after cleaning any food or plaque from it. 

The teeth are first roughened (etched) with an acid wash, and then, the sealant is painted onto them. It is then allowed to cure using a curing light. These sealants can last as long as 10 years and will protect the chewing, cheek or tongue surface of the teeth as children grow into young adulthood. 

Dental sealants are an underused resource that can help children who have difficulty cleaning back teeth or who are vulnerable to cavities.  The surfaces in between the teeth cannot be sealed so flossing is still the best way to protect the teeth from interproximal cavities.

Sealants Go Where Dental Caries Happens

Newly erupted teeth may have many very small grooves and indentations that catch food and may be difficult to clean properly. The teeth at the back of the mouth, in particular, can hold food debris that allows bacteria to thrive. 

Sealing the chewing, cheek or tongue surfaces of back teeth ensures that bacteria will not be trapped in these mini crevices. Sealants can be particularly important for children who have thin tooth enamel or a tendency toward developing cavities easily.

Ongoing Preventative Care for Children

Dental sealants should be applied on newly erupted permanent molars and pre-molars. This generally occurs between the ages of 6 and 14.  Sealants applied at this time can protect children’s teeth during these cavity-prone mid- childhood years. Dental sealants can be a useful part of preventative care for children’s oral health. They can provide that additional measure of protection against tooth decay that can lead to tooth loss.

Your child can enjoy oral health throughout his or her life if you form good habits early and visit your dentist regularly. Dental sealants can be part of the ongoing care your child needs to maintain an attractive and healthy smile. Call Playtime Dental today to schedule an appointment for your kiddo or if you have any questions!

How Can Space Maintainers Help My Child's Teeth?

If your child has had a tooth removed or lost a tooth earlier than the average, you should know of an oral appliance called a space maintainer. Space maintainers serve the purpose of holding space for a child's permanent teeth to erupt if your child has had a tooth removed or lost a tooth too early. Their use in the early years can prevent costly problems down the road.

Candidates for Space Maintainers

If your child loses a baby tooth too early (before the permanent tooth is ready to emerge) then a space maintainer might be an option to help. It will hold the space left open by the missing tooth so that there is enough room for the adult tooth to enter the mouth. Children might also require space maintainers if they have primary teeth pulled as a result of dental decay. Regardless of which scenario has unfolded for your child, you should understand that a space maintainer will support your little one's dental health.

Space Maintainer Details

Space maintainers are made by dentists and orthodontists with either a metal or acrylic material. It can be fabricated so it is a removable or a fixed appliance that will be placed in your child's mouth. The fixed variety comes in different kinds: unilateral band and loop, unilateral band and loop with a distal shoe if the tooth lost does not have a tooth behind it, or a bilateral space maintainer for the upper or lower arch which holds space for teeth on both sides of the mouth if teeth are lost on both sides.

The space maintainer will minimize crowding issues as baby teeth are lost. This way, future orthodontic treatment may not be required as your little one's teeth will have enough open space to shift into. It is worth noting that space maintainers are not necessary for every single child who prematurely loses a tooth. Be sure to discuss this option with your child’s dentist to determine if it is appropriate for your child.

Getting Accustomed to the Space Maintainer

It might take your child a few days to get used to wearing the new space maintainer. Both the fixed and removable varieties are foreign objects that the mouth will take some time to get used to. Be sure to clean the space maintainer to prevent negative impacts on the teeth and gum tissue health. 

You will need to bring your child back to your dentist's office regularly so that he can gauge the progress of treatment with the use of the new space maintainer. If you have any questions, feel free to give our office a call!