Dental Sealants vs. Fillings: Understanding the Difference for Kids

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One of the best preventive treatments that we have available today to offer your children is dental sealants in Oklahoma City, OK. In the past, we had to wait until something went awry—like cavities—before offering the treatment—dental fillings. But now, we offer not only the fillings, which are considered restorative—and sealants, which are considered preventive. When it comes to protecting your child’s teeth, it helps to know the difference between preventive and restorative treatments. While both are used to protect or repair teeth, they serve very different purposes—and are usually recommended at different times and for different reasons.

Understanding Dental Sealants

As we said, sealants are a preventive measure. They’re typically applied to the chewing surfaces of molars and premolars, which tend to have grooves where food and plaque collect. Even with good brushing, these grooves can be hard to clean thoroughly. A sealant works like a shield, covering those pits and valleys with a thin, protective layer. This makes it harder for bacteria to settle in and start the process that leads to decay.

Sealants are quick to apply, usually requiring no drilling or numbing. The material is painted on and hardened in seconds using a special light. Pediatric dentists often recommend sealants for kids as their permanent molars come in—usually around age 6 and again around age 12. With proper care, sealants can last for several years and may significantly reduce the risk of cavities.

Fillings: A Different Kind of Treatment

Fillings, on the other hand, are used after decay has already damaged a tooth. When a cavity forms, the decayed portion of the tooth is removed, and the empty space is filled with a dental material to restore its structure and function. Dental fillings in Oklahoma City, OK stop decay from spreading and help prevent future discomfort or infection.

Unlike sealants, fillings require more involved dental work, often including numbing and drilling. They’re a common and effective treatment, but they’re not preventive—they’re reactive.

If you have questions about sealants or fillings, your pediatric dentist in Oklahoma City, OK at Smiling Faces Pediatric Dentistry can help you decide what makes the most sense based on their needs and risk factors.

How Do Sealants Protect Your Child’s Teeth from Cavities?

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Are you concerned that your child might develop a cavity or two, even if they brush? That’s understandable, with cavities being a common dental problem for kids. Our dentists in Midwest City and Oklahoma City, OK, at Smiling Faces Pediatric Dentistry offer sealants as added protection from tooth decay. Here’s a more in-depth look at how they guard against cavities.

What Are Sealants?

These are coatings we apply to your child’s premolars and molars on their surfaces. Sealants cover the grooves and other crevices on these surfaces, keeping them safe from bacteria that lead to tooth decay.

How Do Kids Get Cavities?

Kids aren’t always the best at remembering to brush their teeth. But even with daily brushing, it’s easy for them to miss bits of food that get stuck in the surfaces of their molars and premolars. This can attract bacteria that cause cavities.

Why Should Kids Get Sealants?

Sealants offer another layer of protection from tooth decay. These coatings prevent bacteria from being able to get inside teeth, reducing the risk of having cavities.

When to Consider Dental Sealants for Your Child

That depends in part on your child’s age. Our dentists can recommend the right time to bring your child in for sealants. It’s a quick and painless process that most kids don’t mind.

How Long Do Sealants Last?

This range can vary, with some sealants lasting for about a decade. Others might only last for a few years.

Schedule an Appointment Today for Sealants!

Ready to give your child’s teeth even more protection from cavities? Our dental team at Smiling Faces Pediatric Dentistry offers sealants in Oklahoma City and Midwest City, OK, to reduce the risk of decay in kids’ teeth and keep them healthy.

What are Sealants?

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Keeping children’s teeth clean can be quite a challenge. They simply don’t have the dexterity to clean those back molars well, or they may rush through the brushing process. This fact usually means they don’t do a good job of brushing those molars. Unfortunately, those teeth are full of ridges that can trap food and increase the risk of cavities. Sealants provide an option to protect your child’s teeth from this risk while they are learning to properly brush and care for those teeth.

How Sealants Work

Dental sealants add a protective coating to the chewing surface of the patient’s back molars. Using this treatment prevents those rough surfaces from getting filled with food and bacteria. This treatment is a valuable preventive dental treatment that can protect against cavities.

How Sealants Are Applied

If your child’s dentist in Oklahoma City, OK, believes that sealants will help your child, the appointment is fairly easy. It starts with thoroughly cleaning the teeth, followed by applying a mild acidic gel. This prepares the surface of the tooth and causes no pain. The dentist then rinses away the gel, dries the tooth, and paints the liquid sealant on the top of the tooth. A special light helps harden and cure the sealant, and your child is free to go. There is no discomfort or healing time necessary, and the teeth continue to function normally, with less risk of cavities.

Talk to Your Child’s Dentist About Sealants Today

Sealants can protect your child from tooth decay and other serious oral health risks. If you’re curious about these procedures, reach out to the team at Smiling Faces Pediatric Dentistry to schedule a consultation to discuss sealants.

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Should I Get Sealants For My Adult Teeth

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Are you struggling with cold sensitivity when drinking iced beverages? Find out if sealants in Midwest City, OK are the right choice for your dental care. Here at Smiling Faces Dentistry, also serving Oklahoma City patients, we have sealants for all ages of patients. Determine if dental sealants are a good idea before you book an appointment with your dentist.

What Are Dental Sealants

A dental sealant is a form of artificial coating similar to enamel that is super hard and durable enough to last for up to a decade. This coating is brushed onto the teeth by a dentist and allowed to dry fully for optimal results. The use of a sealant is desirable for patients who have cavities and decaying teeth, as well as loss of enamel. We use sealants for a variety of reasons and to help patients reduce the loss of teeth.

How Do Sealants Feel

When a patient gets a tooth sealant, there are no sensitivity issues or concerns about taste or feeling. In addition, the individual does not need anesthesia or numbing to receive sealant. The process is fairly easy and done within a single office visit, such as when a dentist has finished a cleaning and exam. Once a sealant is dried, the patient will notice a slight slickness to the tooth that has been sealed. This is similar to a waxen feeling and will last as long as the sealant covers the tooth.

Request Sealants in Midwest City, OK Today

Get sealants for your teeth at our Midwest City location by calling 405-733-2525, or our Oklahoma City branch at 405-947-1525 today. We provide tooth sealant services for children, teens, and adults who need to protect their teeth. Fluoride treatments are another similar service that is available at our dental office.

What Are Dental Sealants? How Can They Help My Child?

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Children are especially vulnerable to problems like tooth decay, so dentists must take action to prevent cavities. Dental sealants are one tool at their disposal. Children and even babies can benefit from dental sealants to help prevent tooth decay in their back teeth.

Your child’spediatric dentist in Oklahoma City and Midwest City, AR, may recommend sealants, but you can also ask about them if you’d like your child to get them. Here’s what you need to know about dental sealants.

What Are Dental Sealants?

Dental sealants are a thin protective coating painted over tooth enamel to create a barrier between the tooth and bacteria that can cause decay. They are painted on the molars in the back of the mouth.

Should My Child Get Dental Sealants?

It’s very common for children between the ages of 6 and 14 to have dental sealants because children are at risk for cavities and tooth decay. Dentists often recommend that people with deep grooves in their molars also get sealants. You can find out if your child is a good candidate for dental sealants by asking the dentist.

How Long Do Dental Sealants Last?

Dental sealants can last up to 5 years, but the dentist will likely want to reapply them before that time. Sealants can start to chip away after a few years, and their ability to provide cavity protection is reduced before they are totally gone.

Would your child benefit fromdental sealants in Oklahoma City and Midwest City, AR? Ask your child’s dentist about them at the next dental appointment with Smiling Faces Pediatric Dentistry.