If you aren’t sure whether to get a dental sealant or a dental filling for yourself or your child, you should take the time to learn more about each one. The person should make the choice between dental sealants and dental fillings based on the person’s condition and the benefits of each option. It’s not a question of what is good or bad, but of your options and what works best for you.

The procedures’ goal should also be considered when making a choice. The best choice for an adult is not the same as the best choice for a child. We’ll look at what’s the same and different between the options so you can decide which is best for you or your child.

Dental sealants

There are sealants for kids’ teeth and sealants for grown-ups’ teeth. They are preventive treatments done on the deep grooves of the premolars and molars at the back of the mouth. Bacteria that live in the deep cracks can’t gather.

You can also learn from a Gallatin dentist how dental sealants can restore your Molars. The sealant is a thin plastic film that is the same color as the tooth and is put on the surface of the teeth. It takes the shape of the grooves in the teeth. Once the material has stopped moving, ultraviolet light is used to make it hard. The dentist must ensure the patient’s bite is straight to clean usually.

Dental fillings

A dental filling is a procedure that fixes damage already done. As part of the procedure, the hole left by the decay will be filled. Before the filling material is put in, the decay has to be taken out. Fillings can be made of composite, amalgam, or gold. It is essential to pick the proper filling for your teeth.

The way fillings are put in is similar to how sealants are put on. Before the patient’s bite is changed to finish the procedure, the surface is also hardened with UV light. But before the materials are put on, the dentist must clean the decaying part and remove the decay.

How sealants and filings are the same

Both choices are optional, so you don’t have to have them. But in some cases, it is needed for filling. Both treatments are put on the grooves of the teeth to stop or fix the damage caused by tooth decay and made worse by the grooves in the teeth. They are a material that keeps the enamel safe. The application process for both solutions is the same: a seal is put on, hardened by ultraviolet light, and the bite is adjusted.

Sealants and filling are not the same.

The sealant keeps things from getting worse, while the filling is a way to fix the damage. The main difference between the two is how long the intervention will last. Fillings can last up to ten years, while sealants should only last about a year.

Sealants work best on kids’ teeth, and kids can avoid getting bonds by brushing their teeth regularly and taking good care of their teeth. On the other hand, you may have to fill it depending on how bad the damage is. If you get a filling, the natural shape of your teeth will change as the decayed parts are taken out. This is not the case if you get a sealant.

Sealants are suitable for kids because they keep their teeth from getting cavities. It’s a preventive step that can keep kids from getting holes in the future if they do it when they’re young. On the other hand, one can avoid dental sealants for adults by ensuring that the grooves in the teeth are cleaned regularly and that food particle that has settled in the grooves are always removed.
Now that you are aware of dental sealants and fillings, it’s time you choose the correct treatment for yourself by the experts of Sumner Dental Group in Gallatin, TN. Our dentist in Gallatin offers comprehensive care treatment. Schedule an appointment today.