What are Dental Sealants and Are They Worth It?
By Dr. Joseph Lee
When you get a brand new cell phone, do you purchase a case to protect it? What if you knew with 90% certainty that you would drop your phone? As you probably already guessed, most people purchase some type of protection for their phone. It just makes sense.
Well, according to a study from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, 92% of adults have had a cavity in their permanent teeth. In other words, 9 out of 10 people will get a cavity! Those are some pretty stacked odds.
Like a brand new cell phone, your teeth also come unprotected and as the research points out, without intervention the odds are super high that decay will happen.
Fortunately, sealants can seal and protect the natural pits and grooves of the teeth with a curable resin and help prevent cavities from starting. In fact studies have shown sealants to reduce cavity risk by over 70%! Waiting until after a cavity forms to do something will cost you at least 4 times more than a sealant. It’s also good to know that sealants do wear out and your teeth will need to be re-sealed from time to time. So the next time you visit your dentist, ask them if sealants would be a good fit for you.
To schedule your next appointment with Normandy Lake Dentistry, contact one of our three convenient locations.
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