Happy & Healthy
Dental Sealants
Dental Sealants Alexandria VA
Dental Sealants
in Alexandria, VA
Dental sealants are a terrifically thin plastic coating that is brushed onto the chewing surfaces of your molars or any back teeth. By doing so we can add additional protection and prevent tooth decay.
Even though you do your due diligence with your daily brushing and flossing as advised, sometimes the effort can still fall short. It can be challenging to clean all the surfaces of the teeth, especially the nooks, crannies, and fissures on the biting surfaces of your molars. These hard-to-clean, rough biting surfaces of the premolar and molar teeth are the perfect place for food to get stuck and start the process of producing damaging bacteria. This leads to plaque and infections, and ultimately, the development of cavities.
INSPIRE DENTAL OF ALEXANDRIA advocates for the concept that prevention is always better than treatment. We may recommend the use of dental sealants to prevent cavities and decay, especially in these molar and premolar teeth that have those deeper grooves and fissures.
The entire team at INSPIRE DENTAL OF ALEXANDRIA shares an office goal. With over three decades of experience, we pride ourselves in being old school when it comes to respecting you and your family and giving you the treatment that we would wish to receive ourselves. Every single patient receives the quality care they deserve. This is the way to earn your trust and satisfaction. Our team is focused on our collaborative efforts to promote oral health by practicing prevention, wellness, enhancement, and renewing rejuvenation. Visit us at 4660 Kenmore Ave., #320, Alexandria, VA 22304 or give us a call today at 703-751-7600 to schedule your appointment to see if you might benefit from the application of dental sealants.
Who Can Benefit from Dental Sealants?
At INSPIRE DENTAL OF ALEXANDRIA, we might recommend dental sealants for any age patient:
- Baby Teeth – When there are very deep grooves on the primary molar teeth, we may recommend dental sealants at an incredibly early age.
- Children – Dental sealants can be extremely beneficial for your child over the age of six, whose permanent molars and premolar teeth have erupted.
- Adults – Sometimes, upon evaluation, we may recommend dental sealants for an adult who is at a higher risk of developing cavities and decay because of the condition of the surface enamel.
The conclusion is that anyone of any age can benefit from the protection of a dental sealant. The oral health of each of us is as unique as our fingerprints. Dental sealants may benefit one and be a waste with another.
The Primary Benefit of Dental Sealants
Microscopic food particles can easily become trapped inside the deep ridges on the chewing surfaces of the teeth. These areas are just incredibly difficult to clean daily. Especially if it is an impatient youngster who does not understand the health benefit of brushing properly. At INSPIRE DENTAL OF ALEXANDRIA we can help prevent food and any plaque buildup by sealing these ridges with the dental sealant. By eliminating these areas for food to become trapped, the risk for cavities is dramatically decreased.
The Dental Sealants Procedure
The application of a dental sealant is very quick, totally pain free, and just a straightforward procedure. First INSPIRE DENTAL OF ALEXANDRIA will clean the back teeth, molars and premolars, very well, and then we place an acidic gel on the biting surfaces. This acidic gel will create small, microscopic pores that will enhance the bonding capability of the dental sealant gel onto the biting surface of the tooth. After only a few seconds, we wash away this gel and then thoroughly dry the teeth. Finally, we will apply the dental sealant, by brushing it onto the grooves of the back teeth and then hardening the sealant by using a special blue light.
RESTORATIVE
DENTISTRY
Even with the best of diligence to maintain your oral health things don’t go as planned. Once in a while, and you might find that your teeth need to be restored or replaced. Missing, cracked, damaged, or even decayed teeth will dull your smile. Did you know it can also affect your oral health? At Inspire Dental of Alexandria we offer restorative dentistry to ensure that your teeth and oral health are back to their former state.
COMSETIC
DENTISTRY
It is important to feel confident in your smile, because being confident in your smile means being confident in yourself. Despite this, many people walk around every day, resigned to the fact that their smile is what it is and there is really nothing they can do to change it. But what if that was not the case? What if improving the aesthetic appearance and/or functionality of your smile was easier than you thought?
IMPLANT
DENTISTRY
Almost 50 million Americans experience tooth-loss every year. Dental bridges have traditionally been the best option if you are in this situation. However, there have been continual technological advancements regarding different types of dental implants. Dental implants are becoming both a common and popular procedure to restore a missing tooth or teeth.
Are You Able to Feel the Dental Sealant?
You will not even notice the dental sealant is there. You cannot see the sealant because it is completely clear. If you run your tongue over those teeth, you might be able to feel a slight difference because they will be smoother, but there is no discomfort whatsoever. Your teeth might feel as they do after you have them cleaned at your six-month exam and check-up.
Will Dental Sealants Bother You Child?
The short answer is no. The process is just so easy, quite fast, and not uncomfortable at all. There is no high-speed drilling noises or any invasive prep work and the sealant itself does not cause your child any irritation nor does it even smell funny. It is such an easy way to prevent cavities and protect your active youngster.
What is the Life Expectancy of Dental Sealants?
By maintaining your proper at-home oral hygiene practices, you can expect the sealants to protect your teeth and retain their effectiveness from cavities for two to four years. Dental sealants are excellent option for protecting those back teeth, but they are not a substitute for your routine oral hygiene of brushing and flossing. The sealant is only applied to the biting surface of the back teeth. You are still responsible for the proper care of the sides of those teeth and the balance of the teeth in your mouth. The health industry strongly suggests that you brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes each time and to compliment that effort by flossing at least once a day. This simple preventative habit keeps the daily buildup of damaging plaque in check. You should complement your efforts by scheduling preventative dental exams twice a year to continue to allow INSPIRE DENTAL OF ALEXANDRIA to monitor the condition of your teeth and gums. With the addition of a dental sealant, you have created another level of protection.
WHAT OUR DENTAL PATIENTS SAY
Our Mission Statement is to Open Doors with a Smile
At INSPIRE DENTAL OF ALEXANDRIA, our mission statement is quite simple. We approach every patient with attentive, gentle grace and patience. We understand the concept that we each are unique, and we all have our personal therapy plans. No matter the age, we will treat each patient only as we wish to be treated. By integrating cutting-edge technology with solid tradition, we attempt every day to exceed your expectations. Visit us at 4660 Kenmore Ave., #320, Alexandria, VA 22304 or give us a call today at 703-751-7600 to schedule your appointment for an evaluation to see if you might benefit from a dental sealant application. High quality, comfortable, relaxing environment, and plenty of smiles is what you will encounter at INSPIRE DENTAL OF ALEXANDRIA.