Sealants

Sealants refers to a plastic resin that a dentist bonds into the grooves of the chewing surface of a tooth as a means of helping to prevent the formation of tooth decay or cavities. Some back teeth, especially molars, can be difficult for a person to clean because the grooves found on their chewing surface (the tooth’s “pits and fissures”) are deep and narrow. By bonding plastic resin (the dental sealant) into the grooves of a tooth a dentist can create a tooth surface that is smoother. There are no longer any locations on the chewing surface of the tooth that the bristles of a toothbrush can’t access and clean. Since dental plaque can be removed more easily and effectively, there is much less of a chance that tooth decay will form.
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