Your child should have all of their permanent teeth replace their baby teeth by mid-adolescence. The premolars and molars in the back of their mouth are usually the last teeth to emerge. Sometimes the biting surface of these teeth to have deep pits and fissures that can be difficult to clean with brushing alone.
Stuck-on plaque and residual food particles that become trapped in these areas greatly increases the chances of large cavities forming.
If during the course of their regular dental check up, Dr. Daniel Sahutske sees that you or your child is having trouble keeping these areas clean, he might recommend dental sealants. This is basically a thin plastic resin barrier that they paints onto the biting surface to block bacteria from direct access to tooth enamel.
Dr. Daniel Sahutske can paint dental sealants onto the biting surface of their back teeth in a short procedure. In many cases it can be done after their twice-annual routine dental checkup. Once the sealants have been applied to all the teeth, they will use a special ultraviolet light to cure and harden the resin.
The dental sealants are very durable and can help to protect the biting surface on back teeth for several years. The resin material is very resilient and won’t wear away from simple routine brushing.
If you have any questions about dental sealants for yourself or your child, please feel free to call Dr. Daniel Sahutske’s office in Oxford, Michigan at 248-628-2540 to schedule an appointment.