If you’re at a crossroads about whether to choose dental sealants or dental fillings for you or your child, it’s important to take some time to fully understand both options before making a decision. The choice between dental sealants and fillings isn’t about what’s good or bad, but rather about selecting the option that best suits your needs. When considering dental sealants vs. fillings, it’s crucial to evaluate your specific condition and understand the advantages each option offers.
The right decision will vary depending on the patient’s age and oral health. For adults, dental fillings may be more suitable for treating cavities, while dental sealants can be a preventative measure, especially for children. To help guide you in choosing the best option for yourself or your child, we’ll break down the similarities and differences between dental sealants and fillings. Whether you’re looking for Park Ridge dental care for your family or yourself, understanding these options will ensure that you make an informed choice for long-term oral health.
Dental Sealants
There are dental sealants for kids and dental sealants for adults. Dental sealants, unlike fillings, are preventive treatments conducted on the back end teeth, which are premolars and molars with deep crevices. The deep crevices are known to cause decay by hosting bacteria. Having them sealed prevents the cluster and settlement of decay-causing bacteria.
The sealant is a plastic film that comes in the tooth’s color and is applied on the surface of the teeth taking the natural shape of the teeth grooves. The flowing material, once settled, is cured using ultraviolet light so that it becomes hard. The dentist then must ensure that the patient’s bite is aligned, creating a smooth surface that can be cleaned normally.
Dental Fillings
On the other hand, a dental filling is a procedure that is restorative or repairs after the damage has been done. The procedure involves filling the hole that has been created out of the decay. The decay is initially removed before the dental filling material is applied. The filling material options include composite, amalgam, or gold, among others.
The process of application of dental fillings is similar to the sealant. However, the decaying part must be first cleaned and the decay removed before the materials are applied. Ultraviolet light is also used to harden the surface before the patient’s bite is adjusted to complete the procedure.
The similarity between sealants and filings
Both options are optional such that you are not restricted to having them. However, for filling, in some cases, it is necessary. Both options are applied to the groves of the teeth targeting the prevention or repair of the damage that the tooth decay caused and enhanced by the grooves in the teeth. They are a protective material to the enamel. The solutions have a similar application procedure such that they involve the application of a seal that is hardened by ultraviolet light, and the bite is adjusted.
Differences between sealants and filling
The main difference between the two is the longevity of the applied intervention. A sealant is only expected to last not more than a year, while fillings can last up to ten years. The sealant is preventive, while the filling is a form of damage repair.
Sealants are ideally applied to kids, and sealants for kids’ teeth can be avoided by regular brushing and high levels of oral hygiene. On the other hand, depending on the level of damage, you may find filling mandatory. If you are going for filling, you should expect the natural structure of teeth to be changed as the decayed parts are removed, which is not the case for sealants.
In summation, sealants are good for kids to prevent tooth decay. It is a preventive measure that can prevent future filling if taken seriously when the kids are still young. On the other hand, dental sealants for adults can be prevented by ensuring the grooves in the teeth are regularly cleaned and settling food sediments always removed.
To know more about these issues and your options, consider searching dentists near me and visit the nearest dentist for a better explanation based on the evaluation of your dental condition. This way, you can get the right advice that matches your specific needs and have the right intervention for you or your child.
