What is the sealing of teeth? Sealing of teeth in children

Many people know that it is easier to prevent a problem than to fight it in the future. This statement in practice confirms the recently popular sealing of teeth. Feedback about this procedure is extremely positive. Moreover, even doctors themselves recommend it to their patients, including small children.

general information

Caries is considered the most common disease of the dental nature. Absolutely any part of the tooth is affected by it. However, experts identify special areas for which the risk of developing caries is excessively high. First of all, this is the contact surface of the tooth, the lingual area, the cervical region, the chewing part and the fissures located on it.

Fissures are natural grooves and grooves, localized on the enamel of the so-called chewing surface of the teeth. Their particular location, shape and size often hinders the normal hygienic care of the oral cavity. Moreover, the thickness of enamel in these areas is several times smaller than on the masticatory mounds themselves. As a consequence, a large number of bacteria constantly accumulate here, as a result of which the caries are formed.

In order to avoid the development of this dental disease, experts today recommend a special procedure, which is called sealing the fissures of the teeth. This is a practical method, involving the physical isolation of existing depressions from contact with the external environment, that is, with food and various microbes. The material used does not allow mechanical damage to the enamel.

What is the sealing of teeth?

Sealing fissures involves applying a very thin layer of film to the chewing surface of the tooth. As a result of this procedure, the patient receives a long-term protection against dental caries. Sealing teeth consists of the following stages:

1. Preliminary preparation is initially carried out. At this stage, the tooth surface is completely cleared of the existing plaque, treated with a special antiseptic, dried with warm air.
2. Then the acid is applied to the enamel in order to improve the subsequent adhesion to the sealant. The acid is washed off, and the teeth are again dried with warm air.
3. In the third stage, a silant is used (a special sealant), which solidifies under the rays of a special lamp.
4. The doctor polishes the surface of the teeth to remove excess silant, applies a fluorinated varnish to further strengthen them.

Sealing teeth in children and adults is now quite a popular procedure, as it allows you to significantly reduce the financial costs of caries control, which is often diagnosed in small patients.

Silvering

The essence of this method is that the dentist does not break the habitual structure of the tooth, it only complements it. Silvering is not considered as a seal, as this method does not provide complete isolation of the tooth from the effects of external irritating factors (plaque, pathogenic microflora, food). On the other hand, the so-called amorphous metallic silver is characterized by a long anticarious effect. Sealing of teeth in children is most often carried out using this technology, because it has proven itself as a protective tool for temporary teeth.

Firstly, the fissures are cleared of the existing plaque. After the surface of the folds of the enamel is treated with a 30% solution of silver nitrate. At the last stage, a pickling gel is applied to the healthy fissures, after which they are filled with a sealant. Then the teeth are machined and covered with a special fluoride varnish.

Invasive methodology

What is the sealing of teeth using an invasive technique? Most often, dentists resort to this procedure in the case of the presence of inaccessible fissures, the walls of which seem to hang over the bottom. After preliminary cleaning, the specialist aligns the curvature of the walls with a diamond tool designed for this purpose, thus ensuring access to the fold throughout its depth. Then, after making sure that there is no tooth decay, the doctor carries out sealing. Below we list its main stages.

• Purification and gradual unfolding of fissures.
• Surface treatment with a special etching gel for better adhesion to the sealant.
• Washing of tooth enamel from acid.
• Immediately pouring the silant.
• Light curing of the material introduced.

If, at the initial stage, tooth decay is diagnosed in the tooth, the doctor first conducts his therapy (establishes a permanent seal). And only after doing the sealing.

Sealing of teeth in children. Reviews

The method of sealing fissures has already established itself as an excellent preventive agent for caries in small patients. Reviews of dentists and parents themselves are exceptionally positive, because children do not suffer from severe dental pain. In addition, there is an opportunity to save significantly on visits to the dentist.

To achieve maximum effect, doctors recommend that the sealing procedure be performed during the first few months after direct dentition, including dairy. This is because in the course of time fissures begin to be filled with cariogenic microbes, and later sealing can lead to the development of caries under the sealant.

Sealing of infant teeth

Currently, dentists are strongly advised to seal the fissures during the eruption. In order to cover the teeth with a special sealant, it is necessary to wait for their complete release from the so-called gingiva hood. The procedure itself is carried out very quickly and painlessly, because the doctor only needs to clean the surface of the teeth, and then apply a thin layer of sealant.

Sealing fissures of permanent teeth

Sealing of permanent teeth is recommended to be done immediately after their eruption. At this point, the fissures are, as a rule, still weak and not fully mineralized. Finally, their "maturation" occurs within the first year after eruption. The sealant delivered in a timely manner is able to protect the child's teeth for a long time (about three years). This time is really enough to form a strong enamel, and the baby himself learned to care for the oral cavity and brush his teeth.

Indications

• The presence of deep fissures.
• In small patients, the main indication is the incomplete mineralization of already incised teeth. The thing is that children in the enamel have an insufficient amount of fluoride and calcium, which favors the development of caries.

Contraindications

• Presence of caries. After coating with a special sealant, the disease continues to actively develop, remaining inaccessible to the necessary dental manipulation.
• Excessively wide, well-connected fissures.

Materials used

Today in the arsenal of dentists there is a large selection of specialized silants. It can be fluorine-containing cement, a special composite material, both chemical and light curing.

Dentists, as a rule, use fluid-intensive materials in their practice, since they perfectly fill even deep fissures. Most of them have fluoride ions in their composition. They have an additional strengthening effect on the tooth. These particles are able to emerge from the fluid-like materials for a fairly long time (about 12 months).

Cost of the procedure

Many are interested in how much it costs to seal the teeth. The price for this procedure varies depending on the region and the materials used. The average cost of sealing one tooth is from 600 to about 900 rubles. If you want to expand the fissures beforehand, the total amount may be slightly larger.

Research results

What is the sealing of teeth? Does it really help? According to available information, a correctly performed procedure is 100% effective in protecting the tooth surface from caries. Its effectiveness is noticeably reduced when the gluing components are destroyed. However, teeth that were subjected to the sealing procedure are much less susceptible to caries than untreated ones.

Sealing is effective only for the first five years, but can retain its primary properties for a decade. It is known that, 7 years after sealing, approximately 49% of the teeth remain in their original state. This procedure should not be perceived as permanent. Experts still recommend that their patients regularly visit the dentist's office for preventive purposes.

Conclusion

In this article, we are as detailed as possible, what is the sealing of teeth, what are its main advantages and disadvantages. Currently, this procedure is considered one of the most effective in preventing caries.