Only half of sealants remain after 5 years
Question: My child has had sealants placed on her teeth. One or two of them seem to continually fall off, requiring the dentist to re-do them every time she is in for a check up and cleaning, generating more fees. Should I be wary of this? - Maggie, Jupiter
Answer: My mom was a clean freak. One year she had me sealed in plastic before camp to allow for easy stain removal upon returning home at the end of the summer. Sealants are thin flowable resins that fill in the pits and fissures of teeth on adults and children, preventing chewing surface decay. They do nothing for preventing decay on the sides (in between) teeth where the floss passes through. Research shows that after five years of service, only 50 percent of sealants are still in place. Researcher Dr. Gordon Christensen, whom I have shared the lecture podium with over the years, says that these dismal statistics can be improved upon "if dentists used an air-slurry polisher (a sandblaster type of device) to remove plaque from the grooves before sealant placement."
2 products have highest bonding strength
Question: My dentist placed a small white filling on the side of a front tooth earlier this year. Every couple of months it falls out and she replaces it at no charge. What do you suggest? - ‘Queeny’ from West Boca Raton
Answer: I give you credit for the sincere loyalty you have for your dentist in letting her keep taking a crack at it. Some patients change dentists more than Joan Rivers changes plastic surgeons (and I’m just talking about the month of June!). The key ingredient in bonding composite resin (tooth colored bonding) to tooth structure is the bonding agent. There have been seven generations and over 23 products on the market made by over 13 companies. A recent comparison test in the Clinicians Report Newsletter showed the highest bonding strength was found in two products: Peak SE and Clearfil SE Bond. For more info on this subject or any other dental topic, contact our office at 239-936-5252.