All of your children’s primary teeth will have been replaced by their permanent set of adult teeth at some point in mid-adolescence. It’s somewhat common biting surface of your child’s back teeth to have natural deep pits and fissures. This is originally an evolutionary holdover from a time in human history when our ancestors survived on a diet of hard and crunchy foods.
Unfortunately, these deep pits and fissures can sometimes be hard to clean with regular brushing alone. Stuck on plaque and residual food particles in these deep textures can eventually lead to large areas of tooth decay.
Large areas of tooth decay in these areas often need to be repaired with large fillings. However, large fillings are more likely it is to cause your child some problems later on in life.
If Dr. Jade Cherrington notices deep pits or stuck on plaque and food particles on the biting surface of your child’s back teeth during their dental checkup, then we might recommend protecting the biting surface dental sealants.
Dental sealants a basically a durable plastic-resin that Dr. Jade Cherrington applies to the biting surface of your son or daughter’s molars and premolars. A special ultraviolet light is used to harden the resin, creating a protective layer. Even if plaque and food particles get stuck in the pits and fissures of the biting surface the dental sealants will keep bacteria from direct access to the tooth enamel.
Dental sealants can usually be applied immediately after your child’s regular dental checkup with Dr. Jade Cherrington. The dental sealants are very durable and can help to protect the biting surface for two years or more.
If you are interested in having your child’s teeth protected with dental sealants, please call Dr. Jade Cherrington at 541-699-4200 to schedule an appointment.