Sealants in East Los Angeles

Call Atlantic Children & Family Dentistry at 323-263-9600 to request a consultation about sealants in East Los Angeles.

We usually don’t hesitate to do a little preventative maintenance on our cars. Why not do the same for our teeth? Atlantic Children & Family Dentistry knows how to give you extra protection from harmful bacteria and cavities without costly dental work and constant trips to our office. We use a dental sealant to accomplish this goal.

What Is a Dental Sealant?

Dental sealants are plastic coatings applied to the surface of the rear teeth. This coating provides protection for your teeth that will prevent tooth decay. A dental sealant lasts for about ten years, depending on how well you take care of your teeth.

Dental sealants are very cost-effective: typically, $30 to $40 a tooth. This may sound expensive, but the protection lasts about a decade, making it a worthwhile investment.

Who Benefits from a Dental Sealant the Most?

This procedure is most common for people who have not yet gotten cavities. Because of this, children benefit the most from having a dental sealant, as children with dental sealants are statistically less likely to develop cavities than children who do not have them.

If you have cavities already, a dental sealant may hinder them from developing further, prolonging your overall oral health. Also, if you have substantially deep ridges in your teeth, a dental sealant will keep food and bacteria from hiding in those crevices.

How Do We Apply a Dental Sealant?

Getting sealants in East Los Angeles is relatively simple, painless, and quick, making it a child-friendly procedure. We perform this process only on the molars, as the front teeth are smooth and easily cleaned:

•     First, we clean and dry your teeth.
•     We apply a gel to the teeth to prepare the bonding surfaces.
•     We rinse and dry your mouth again.
•     We brush the sealant compound onto the teeth.
•     Depending on the application, we may then use a bright light to help bond the sealant.

What Do Dental Sealants Do?

Some people see dental sealants as an unnecessary cosmetic procedure, but the truth is that dental sealants provide several benefits for adults and children alike:

•     They keep food from lingering in the deep crevices of the teeth.
•     They protect your teeth from harmful oral bacteria.
•     They promote health by protecting you from infections caused by damaged teeth.
•     They keep plaque from forming on the teeth.
•     They prevent cavities and stop them from forming further.

Protect Yourself from Cavities

Cavities are the scourge of dental hygiene. At first, they are hard to detect, but leaving them untreated leads to tooth decay, causing sensitivity, pain, and even infection or discoloration. Children under 12 without a sealant are three times more likely to develop cavities than those with a dental sealant.

Combined with regular dental hygiene, a dental sealant is the ultimate preventative method for keeping cavities at bay. To set up an appointment for dental sealants in East Los Angeles, call Atlantic Children & Family Dentistry at 323-263-9600.