Sealing fissures in a child is a modern preventive procedure aimed at preventing tooth decay due to the vital activity of microorganisms. Typically, these microbes actively multiply under the influence of food debris in the oral cavity. In addition, fissure sealing helps to strengthen the enamel, which further protects it from caries. Today in our country, almost every dentistry clinic provides these types of services, but their cost may vary significantly.
Description of procedure
Fissures are grooves, irregularities and tiny cracks on the chewing surface of the tooth. Using a regular brush to clean this area is very difficult. That is why bacteria and microorganisms that provoke the development of caries most often actively propagate in fissures.
Milk teeth in children are most often exposed to the development of a carious process. Therefore, dentists recommend fissure sealing even to small patients. During this procedure, the doctor fills small cracks and grooves on the surface of the teeth with a special sealed substance (silant). This allows more thorough oral hygiene and thus reduces the likelihood of tooth decay.
How is fissure sealing in a child?
Initially, the dentist prepares the surface of the teeth. It is cleaned with special brushes, treated with an antiseptic, and then dried with warm air. In a second step, the surface is treated with acid. This procedure is necessary for better adhesion of the sealant to the tooth itself. Then the acid is washed off. At the third stage, the fissure itself is directly sealed in the child. The dentist imposes a silant, which is then dried with a special lamp. At the final stage, the tooth surface is polished and treated with a protective varnish.
What materials are used?
According to the type of hardening, the applied silants are divided into chemical and light-cured. Preference is most often given to the latter option, since it has no toxic residues and is characterized by relatively fast polymerization.
In addition, materials for sealing fissures vary in appearance. Transparent silants are usually used when there is a high probability of developing caries in a child. In all other cases, dentists use colored sealants to constantly monitor the integrity of the coating, even at home.
Silants also differ in chemical composition. Today, experts increasingly prefer sealants with fluorine, because they additionally strengthen the enamel.
Recommended Dates
Sealing fissures in a child is performed once and is designed for approximately two years. However, this does not mean that at this time it will be possible to forget about visiting the dentist. It is recommended that the child be taken for preventive examinations every six months.
The age of small patients does not play an important role, here the age of a permanent tooth comes to the fore. The best period for sealing is the first six months after teething. Based on the fact that this is a rather lengthy process, it is not possible to make the sealing of absolutely all teeth in one visit to the doctor.
Parents should not worry that the silant will interfere with the development of molars, because the materials used are characterized by high elasticity. Over time, the tooth will be able to take the form planned by nature.
Service cost
Unfortunately, you canβt say exactly how much fissure sealing costs. Price may vary depending on the materials used. Equally important is the location of the clinic. For example, in Moscow, the cost of sealing each tooth is from 600 to 1000 rubles.
In any case, such preventive measures to prevent the development of caries are much cheaper than its subsequent treatment.
Fissure Sealing: Parent Reviews
The opinions of parents whose children underwent this procedure are mostly positive. Indeed, the risk of a carious process is several times reduced.
However, there are also negative reviews. Most of them are explained by the incompetence of a specialist and his inattentive attitude to work. In the best case, the dentist imperfectly cleans the surface, and the silant will quickly become worthless. At worst, the development of caries under the sealant will begin.
From all the foregoing, only one conclusion can be drawn - parents should pay special attention to the choice of a medical institution. An ideal dentistry clinic should have in its staff highly qualified specialists with the appropriate license to perform certain procedures. The cost of sealing should not be the prevailing factor. Only in this case the result of the procedure will be at the highest level.
In conclusion, we note that sealing fissures has a relatively low cost, and its value for the teeth of young patients is simply invaluable. The procedure itself is quick and painless, which is an important additional advantage. Recently, many parents are increasingly resorting to her help. Be healthy!