To understand the value of dental sealants, let’s ask a simple question: How much is your oral health worth? It only takes one appointment for our dentist in Kalamazoo, MI, to apply dental sealants. After that, tooth sealants can help prevent cavities in your molars for up to 9 years. That’s almost a decade of cavity prevention!
Here’s what else you should know about the dental sealants procedure.
Prevent Cavities
First, let’s talk about dental plaque and why it’s bad for your oral health.
Plaque is a sticky, invisible film of bacteria that lives inside your mouth. As you eat sugary foods, the bacteria eat the particles left behind and produce an acid that erodes your enamel and attacks your gums. If left untreated, dental plaque buildup can lead to cavities, gum disease, and other oral health problems.
The good news is that dental sealants help prevent plaque buildup on your back teeth.
A sealant is a clear, plastic coating we paint onto the chewing surfaces of back teeth. This essentially seals the tooth, removing hiding places for bacteria and food particles. Dental sealants also make it easier to remove plaque when you’re brushing your teeth.
Bacteria love to hide in small cracks and crevices. As a result, we often detect cavities in the chewing surfaces of back teeth. If you’re prone to getting cavities back there, Dr. Bandos may recommend the to prevent future cavities from forming.
Enjoy Better Overall Wellbeing
It’s no secret that your oral health affects the rest of your body. In fact, multiple studies have explored the potential links between bacteria in the mouth and conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. When you practice good oral hygiene, you’re also protecting your overall health and wellbeing.
Keep in mind that dental sealants are not a replacement for practicing good oral hygiene. You’ll still need to brush your teeth twice a day and floss your teeth once daily. That way, you’ll be able to remove dental plaque and maintain a healthy smile.
Save Money
In general, preventive dental care costs much less than what you’d pay during a dental emergency. For example, sealants cost much less than an emergency root canal. (Not to mention, getting sealants is fast and painless.)
It’s also worth noting that most dental insurance policies cover the full cost of preventive care. These preventive services include oral examinations, X-rays, and teeth cleanings. Whether your insurance covers dental sealants may depend on the age of the patient.
Many insurance policies cover dental sealants for children. This includes sealants applied to first molars up to age 8 and sealants applied to second molars through age 15.
Checking the details of your policy ahead of time will save you from unwelcome surprises when it’s time to pay for your treatment. For example, some insurance policies only cover sealants for specific teeth.
Even if you have to pay for out of pocket, they’ll still help you avoid cavities in the long run. This saves you the money you would have otherwise spent on fillings, crowns, and other restorative dental work.
Ask Dr. Bandos About Dental Sealants
Dr. Katherine Bandos offers dental sealants to both child and adult patients. As a dentist in Kalamazoo, MI, she is dedicated to helping her patients maintain healthy smiles for life! To request an appointment, call Kalamazoo Smiles at (269) 353-3700 or fill out our online contact form.
This blog post has been updated.
