Dental Sealants to the Rescue!

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Your back teeth are obviously shaped differently from your other teeth. That is because they have a very special job to do. Your back teeth, which are known as molars and premolars have the job of crushing and grinding your food to make it easier for you to swallow and your body to digest. In other words, your back teeth allow you to chew your food.

To do this, the chewing surfaces of those teeth come with a series of grooves and ridges, which are perfect for making short work of your meals. But those grooves and ridges also make excellent hiding places for the food debris, bacteria and plaque that cause tooth decay. And those places can be very difficult to reach with your toothbrush.

To solve this problem, our dentist, Dr. Stephen Huber can apply sealants to your back teeth. Sealants are very thin layers of plastic that will act as barriers between your teeth and substances that can attack your tooth enamel. The process is painless and can done in a single visit. The sealants can last for many years. However, you still need to brush your teeth twice a day and floss at least once a day since the sealants will only protect the chewing surfaces of your teeth.

Sealants work best when they are applied as soon as possible after teeth erupt. Because of that, children are usually the ones who receive dental sealants. However, an adult who struggles with tooth decay may also be a good candidate for sealants.

If you are concerned about the health of your child’s teeth, or even your own, and you live in the Leawood, Kansas area, call 913-543-3751 today to schedule your appointment with us. Let’s get started on protecting your back teeth!