Dental Sealants: The Pros & Cons
Posted on January 11th, 2025
Are you wondering if dental sealants are the right choice for protecting your family’s teeth? As your trusted Oak Lawn family dentist, we understand you want to make informed decisions about your dental care. Let’s explore everything you need to know about dental sealants, including their benefits and potential drawbacks.
What Are Dental Sealants?
Dental sealants are thin, protective coatings that cover the chewing surfaces of teeth, usually molars and premolars. They create a shield that helps prevent tooth decay by keeping food particles and bacteria out of grooves and crevices.
Sealants are most commonly applied to children’s teeth since kids are more prone to cavities than adults.
Pros of Dental Sealants
When it comes to preventing cavities, dental sealants offer many advantages. If you’re a parent, you might be wondering, “Are dental sealants worth it?”
Here are some benefits of dental sealants and reasons why they’re a great treatment for cavity-prone patients:
- Protection Against Decay: Sealants can reduce cavity risk by up to 80% in molars (primary and permanent) for 2 years. This protection begins working immediately. With proper care, sealants can continue to protect against 50% of cavities for as long as 4 years.
- Cost-Effective: Preventing cavities with sealants typically costs less than treating decay later with fillings. While some might worry about the initial cost, sealants often save you money in the long run by helping you avoid more expensive dental procedures.
- Quick and Painless Application: The sealant application process takes only a few minutes per tooth, making it ideal for young children or those with dental anxiety.
- Long-Lasting: With good oral hygiene, sealants typically protect teeth for 2-4 years. During regular check-ups at our dental office, we’ll monitor their condition and can reapply them if needed.
Cons of Dental Sealants
While dental sealants offer excellent tooth protection, it’s important to understand their limitations:
- Not Permanent: Although long-lasting, sealants will eventually wear down and need replacement.
- Limited Coverage: Sealants only protect the chewing surfaces of teeth. Patients still need to maintain good oral hygiene to protect untreated teeth and their overall smile health.
- Initial Cost: While cost-effective long term, some insurance plans might not cover sealants. Check with your provider to find out if dental sealants are included in your plan.
- Trapping Decay: While not common, it is possible to accidentally seal a tooth that already has a cavity. If this happens, the decay could grow underneath the sealant without any warning signs and lead to an infection. However, this is very unusual, since a cavity is not likely to go unnoticed by a dentist before sealant application.
Who Should Get Dental Sealants?
Dental sealants work best when applied early. We typically recommend them for:
- Children and teenagers as soon as their molars emerge (usually around age 6 for first molars and age 12 for permanent molars)
- Adults prone to cavities who don’t currently have any tooth decay or fillings in their molars
- People at a higher risk of developing cavities due to illness, medication use, pregnancy, or other factors
Caring for Your Dental Sealants
To get the most value from your dental sealants, follow these simple care instructions:
- Maintain regular brushing and flossing habits. Sealants protect the chewing surfaces of teeth, but other areas still need attention.
- Keep up with regular dental appointments so we can monitor the condition of your sealants.
- Avoid chewing on ice or hard candy, which can damage sealants.
Dental Sealants vs. Fillings
While both sealants and fillings help protect your teeth, they serve different purposes.
Sealants are a preventive treatment that protects healthy teeth against decay. They’re applied to cavity-free teeth to prevent future problems. Dental fillings, however, repair teeth that already have cavities. They involve removing decay and filling the hole with special material to restore the tooth.
Protect Your Family’s Dental Health
You don’t have to wait until cavities develop to protect your oral health. At Oak Lawn Smiles Family Dentistry, we’re committed to helping patients in Oak Lawn and surrounding communities maintain beautiful smiles.
Schedule an appointment when you contact us today! Our team will answer all of your questions. If you’re wondering if dental sealants are necessary to maintain a great smile, we can help you make the best choice for your and your family’s dental health.
