Dental Sealants
Dental sealants are a fine plastic coating that Dr. Crystal Dental can apply onto the chewing surfaces of the molars or back teeth. This serves as additional protection for these teeth and to prevent tooth decay.
The entire team at Dr. Crystal Dental believes that proactive prevention will always be better than treatment. We might suggest the use of dental sealants to prevent cavities and decay, especially in the molars and premolar teeth that have those deeper grooves and fissures.
The entire team at Dr. Crystal Dental radiates compassion and enthusiasm. Every member embraces your individual comfort and dental needs. We seek balance in our practice, our procedures, and your health. You will find your entire dental experience with us comforting from start to finish. We balance exceptional, personalized dental care with state-of-the-art equipment and technology. Call us today at 440-974-4449 to schedule your appointment for an evaluation regarding dental sealants for you or your child. You can conveniently find us at 7223 Center Street, Mentor, Ohio, 44060.
Even though you do your absolute best to brush and floss daily as recommended, sometimes your efforts can still fall short. It can be difficult to completely clean all the surfaces of the back teeth, especially the nooks, crannies, and fissures on the biting surfaces of your back teeth. These hard-to-clean, rough, and uneven biting surfaces of the premolar and molar teeth are the perfect place for food particles to get stuck and begin the process of producing damaging bacteria. This will result in plaque and tartar deposits, and eventually, lead to the development of cavities.
Dr. Crystal
Dr. Crystal is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University, School of Dental Medicine and went on to receive training at one of the most prestigious dental residencies in the nation, The Audie L. Murphy VA Hospital Advanced Education in General Dentistry in San Antonio, TX.
Inform & Educate
We empower you to make wise, well-informed decisions for your oral health through patient education and individual consultation. We do this through the modern technology we offer. Our digital x-rays are equipped with special cavity-detecting software, and we also utilize an intraoral camera to show you what we see in your mouth. We also make sure to stay up-to-date on your medical history, current medications and any other factors that might affect your dental health and treatment.
Insurance & Billing
We are an insurance-friendly office, so please call us about your plan. We will do our best to assist you in maximizing your benefits. At your first visit to our Mentor dental practice, we will ask you for your current insurance information. We may ask you to confirm this information at subsequent visits so we can stay up-to-date and fully informed to serve you. As a courtesy to you, we file all claim forms electronically, provide postage for special claims, and we track claims for you.
The Primary Benefit of Dental Sealants
Even though brushing and flossing are the best ways to prevent cavities, microscopic food particles can still easily become trapped inside the deep ridges of the chewing surfaces of your back teeth. These areas can be difficult to constantly keep clean and creating a smooth top surface helps make a more easily cleansable surface. Especially for our younger patients, they make lake the manual dexterity to brush properly on these newly erupted teeth, or not fully understand the benefits of brushing properly. At Dr. Crystal Dental we can help prevent food and plaque buildup by sealing these ridges with a dental sealant. By eliminating these areas for food to become trapped, the risk for cavities is reduced significantly.
Are Dental Sealants Beneficial for All Ages?
In fact, dental sealants have shown to reduce the risk of decay by nearly 80% in molars. At Dr. Crystal Dental, we might recommend dental sealants for these situations:
- Baby Teeth – When there are very deep grooves on the primary molar teeth, we will recommend dental sealants at an earlier age.
- Children – Dental sealants will be beneficial for your child over the age of six, whose permanent molars and premolar teeth have erupted. The CDC has reported that school children without dental sealants have three times more cavities than children with dental sealants.
- Adults – Upon an examination, we may suggest dental sealants for an adult who we believe is at a higher risk of developing cavities and decay because of the condition of their surface enamel.
Anyone of any age can benefit from the application of a dental sealant. The oral health of each of us is as distinctive to us as our unique fingerprints. Dental sealants could benefit you and not at all be advantageous for another family member.
The Dental Sealants Procedure
The dental sealant application is extremely fast, totally pain free, no numbing is used, and simply a straightforward procedure. First Dr. Crystal Dental must deliberately clean the back teeth, molars and premolars, and then we place an acidic gel on the biting surfaces. The acidic gel will create small, microscopic pores that will reinforce the bonding of the dental sealant gel with the tooth. After just a few seconds, we wash away this gel and then thoroughly dry the teeth. Finally, we apply the dental sealant, by brushing it on, to the grooves of the back teeth and then hardening the sealant by using a special blue light.
Will Your Child Mind Getting Dental Sealants?
The short answer is really no. The process is just so quick, so easy, and not uncomfortable at all. There is no noisy high-speed drilling or invasive prep work and the dental sealant itself does not cause your child any irritation. It does not even smell funny. Think of it as a raincoat for teeth. It is such an easy way to prevent cavities for your active youngster. In fact, it is also a good procedure to consider when building trust and confidence with the team at Dr. Crystal Dental. This procedure, as with any procedure for a child, will be explained in friendly terms so that your child is comfortable with this quick and easy procedure!
Can You Feel the Dental Sealants?
You will not even notice the dental sealant is there. You cannot see it because it is completely clear. If you run your tongue over your teeth, you might be able to feel a slight difference because they will be smoother, but there is absolutely no discomfort in any way. Your teeth might feel like they do after you have them cleaned at your six-month exam.
Comprehensive Dentistry
Comprehensive dentistry with Dr. Crystal Schneider, involves the diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting the teeth, gums and jaw. She believes that preventive care is the most important aspect of comprehensive dentistry. Dr. Schneider aims to identify and treat problems while they’re still small, which can save you time, money and more extensive dental treatment.
Cosmetic Dentistry
An attractive smile can boost your confidence, help you make better first impressions on others, and improve your personal and professional life. We provide several cosmetic dental treatments that can subtly enhance your smile, and there are many other more dramatic treatments, often called “smile makeovers,” that can give you the smile of your dreams.
Specialized Dentistry
Missing teeth can take the joy out of the everyday things we love, from smiling and talking with confidence to eating our favorite foods. All of these things can become easier again with specialized dental care. Dr. Schneider offers advanced treatments that will not just restore your smile to its former health – they’ll make it look and feel even better than before!
What is the Longevity of The Dental Sealants?
By practicing your proper at home oral hygiene habits, you can expect the dental sealants to protect your teeth from cavities for two to four years. Dental sealants are an outstanding solution for preventing some teeth cavities, but they are not a substitute for your routine oral hygiene of brushing and flossing. Remember, the dental sealant is applied to just the biting surface of the back teeth. You are still responsible for the proper care of the sides of the crowns and the balance of your teeth. The health industry strongly recommends that you brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes each time and to floss at least once a day. This simple preventative practice keeps the daily buildup of plaque in check. You should complement your efforts by scheduling preventative dental examinations twice a year with Dr. Crystal Dental to monitor the condition of your teeth and gums. With the dental sealant, you have just bought yourself, or your child, another level of protection.
Our Devotion to Family Dentistry is Unparalleled
Our attention to detail is second to none. Either when it comes to your personalized dental care or the array of amenities in the relaxing comfort of our office. The entire team at Dr. Crystal Dental goes the extra mile in providing communication and consultation, realizing that we collectively are committed to developing long lasting relationships with every patient. We find gratification in life changing healthy smiles. Call us now at 440-974-4449 to make an appointment for you or your child for dental sealants. Our office is located at 7223 Center Street, Mentor, Ohio, 44060.