Preventive treatments like dental sealants are one of the many services Pediatric Dentistry of Burke offers its patients in Burke, Fairfax, Springfield, Annandale, Falls Church, McLean, Alexandria, and other surrounding communities. With nearly a decade of experience and extensive pediatric dental training, Dr. David Treff provdes high quality dental sealants at an affordable price, protecting your teeth from gum disease, cavities, and tooth loss.
Dental sealants primarily used to protect first and second permanent molars from tooth decay. We bond a thin layer of composite material to the deep grooves of molars where a toothbrush may not be able to adequately brush and clean. Sometimes despite your best effort brushing the grooves and crevices of a tooth are smaller than the diameter of the toothbrush bristle. Sealants alone do not guarantee cavities will be avoided. Similar to fluoride in water, toothpaste, and varnish it is a tool for prevention.
When Does My Child Need Dental Sealants?
We recommend sealants for all children when first permanent molars are fully erupted (around six to seven years of age) and again when second permanent molars are fully erupted (eleven to twelve years of age). In order an optimal chemical bond between tooth and sealant to occur the tooth must be isolated and free of saliva. Not all children can tolerate the mechanism that keeps the tongue and cheek away from the molars so sealants may be delayed for this reason. Sealants can be placed on any tooth that may have deep grooves and can be placed at the request of parents at anytime for other permanent or primary “baby” teeth.
Sealant placement does not require local anesthesia so patients can resume their normal eating schedule with out delay. Sealants occasionally de-bond or “come off” due to normal eating. Sealants placed at Pediatric Dentistry of Burke are repaired as a courtesy and all sealants are examined during routine prophylaxis appointments.
