Sealant: Treatment, Procedure, Cost and Side Effects

Sealants are a type of dental procedure intended to stop tooth decay or cavities. These are thin coatings applied on the chewing surface (molars and premolars) of the teeth. It provides a protective shield to the teeth that block out food and bacteria.

The different kinds of dental sealants are:

• Composite Resin: These dental sealants blend with your teeth and can not be easily noticed. It provides high retention against tooth decay and durability. It provides good strength and can not break easily.
• Glass Ionomer: Glass ionomer follows the acid-based process and protects our teeth against infection and cavities. It protects our teeth against tooth-damaging acids.

Children and teenagers are at a higher risk of getting tooth decay and infections, so it is important for them to use sealants. It is usually applied on the permanent molars and premolars of children under the age group of 6 to 14 years. Adults can also use dental sealants to protect their teeth from infections or cavities.

You can apply sealants in the following ways:

• Clean your teeth thoroughly.
• Dry the tooth with the help of a cotton or absorbent.
• The sealants are then properly fixed on the teeth using an acid solution.
• Rinse and dry your teeth again.
• Then the sealants are painted on the enamel to bond with the tooth.

Dental sealants are applied quickly, painlessly, and without the use of any form of anaesthesia.

The benefits of sealants are:

• Provide protective coverage to teeth
• Blocks out food and bacteria
• Prevents tooth decay
• Reduced deep grooves
• Simple to keep up

Usually, sealants last for about 10 years but you need to have a clear check on them. Keep checking for wearing or chipping of these sealants. Both its replacement and maintenance are simple processes.

Usually, there are no side effects of sealants. However, you can feel little pain and discomfort sometimes. It can also develop some leakages and then a cavity can develop under your sealants.

The price of sealants can range from Rs. 2000 to Rs. 4000 per tooth.

Sealants are a kind of protective shield that protects our teeth from cavities (tooth decay) and infections. There are mainly two types of sealants, i.e., composite resin and glass ionomer. The process of applying sealants is painless. Children and teenagers are the main demographics for sealants. Usually, there are no side effects of these sealants.