Would you like to lower your child’s risk of cavities? If so, Dr. Matthew Roper, your family and cosmetic dentist in Queen Creek, AZ, child smileprovides a simple solution: dental sealants.
Sealants protect chewing teeth
Your child’s permanent pre-molars and molars, located at the back of the mouth, are used to chew, tear, and crush food. These teeth are particularly susceptible to tooth decay for three reasons
- Pre-molars and molars contain tiny pits and grooves that trap plaque, the colorless substance responsible to cavities. Brushing can remove most of the plaque in your child’s mouth, but toothbrush bristles are too small to reach into tiny depressions on the surface of teeth.
- Molars and pre-molars are a little weak when they first erupt and are more prone to developing cavities.
- Kids aren’t always thorough brushers. They may brush in record time or even forget to brush a few teeth.
Dental sealants protect your child’s pre-molars and molars by filling in the pits and grooves with plastic resin. Sealants are safe for your son or daughter and completely unnoticeable because they’re clear.
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What happens when my child receives sealants?
The first step in the sealant process involves cleaning your child’s teeth to remove any plaque and tartar. After your child’s teeth are cleaned, their Queen Creek dentist will apply an etching solution to the teeth in order to help the sealants stick to the teeth. Sealants come in liquid form, so the dentist brushes will brush them on the teeth before hardening them with a curing light.
How should my child care for sealants?
There are no special care instructions for sealants. Your child won’t be able to feel them and will brush and floss as usual.
Sealants usually last about 10 years but can wear away sooner if your child grinds or clenches his or her teeth at night. Wearing a nightguard can prevent the sealants from wearing away prematurely and help your child avoid tooth damage due to grinding or clenching. Sealants can be easily reapplied if they do happen to wear away.
Interested? Call your family and cosmetic dentist, Dr. Matthew Roper, today!
Protect your child’s smile with sealants. Call your family and cosmetic dentist, Dr. Matthew Roper of Ocotillo Trails Family Dentistry, today at (480) 457-1977 to schedule an appointment at our Queen Creek office.
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