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Monthly
Dental News
Your smile is your greeting to the world. When it sparkles, so do you!
Each professional in our office undergoes extensive training and contributes
to our mission of providing you with the highest level of expertise, service
and up-to-date information.
THIS MONTH'S DENTAL TIPS:
Mouth Guards provide maximum protection from injury in sports and other
actiites.
mouth_guards.PDF
JANUARY 2007 DENTAL TIPS:
Up-to-date info on cavity prevention & repair.
cavities & prevention.PDF
Dec. 2006:
Dental Sealants
Underused cost-effective tool is an easy way to prevent decay
Dental sealants, a very thin plastic film applied to the chewing surfaces
of molars and premolars (the teeth directly in front of the molars) and
to the deep groves and pits of the teeth, can prevent tooth decay in these
very susceptible areas.
Dentla sealants have been studied for more than 20 years and have been
found to be highly effective in preventing cavities, acording to an article
in the February 2006 issue of AGD impace, the Academy of General Dentistry's
monthly magazine.
However the article cites several reports that explain dental sealants
are still underused, despite their advantages in averting tooth decay
for an average of five to seven years.
Properly applied,
sealants are 100 percent effective on protecting the tooth surfaces from
cavities. Because sealants act as a physical barrier to decay, protection
is determined by the sealant's ability to adhere to the tooth. As long
as the sealant remains intact, small food particles
and bacteria that cause cavities cannot penetrate through or around the
sealant.
Applying sealants is simple. |
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The teeth are dried, then etched or conditioned (either with liquid conditoners
or with air abrasion), and the sealant is 'painted' onto the teeth. The
sealant is then hardened with use of a curing light.
Carol Gomez Summerhays, DDS, MAGD, AGD spokesperson, explains that sealants
prevent decay by sealing the deep pits and fissures of teeth, which cannot
be cleaned with a toothbrush, since these areas are much smaller than
the smallest toothbrush bristle. Sealants also can stop small areas of
decay in enamel from becoming larger if left intact oin teeth.
Sealants are safe for use on everyone's teeth, from young children to
adults. The teeth most at risk are 6 and 12-year molars, which should
be sealed as soon as they erupt. "Premolars and primary, or baby,
molars also can benefit from sealants," says Dr. Summerhays. "In
the long run, prevention of tooth decay is the best treatment and will
save money over the person's lifetime"
- end of article -
©2006 AGD
To learn more about our practice, please Contact
Us today!
Academy of General Dentistry (AGD)
http://www.agd.org/
American Dental Association (ADA)
www.ada.org/public/
Academy of Cosmitic Dentistry (AACD)
www.aacd.org/
Invisalign
http://www.invisalign.com/
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