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It’s relatively common for the biting surfaces of molars and premolars to have deep pits, fissures and other deep contours in the tooth enamel. While this is advantageous for chewing tough foods, these areas can also be hard to clean.

If brushing your teeth routinely fails to clean these deep-textured areas, the trapped food particles and plaque will eventually harbor tooth decay. The resulting cavities are often large and they require big fillings to repair them. As time goes by, these large fillings can prove to be troublesome.

If your dentist, Dr. Michael Hull, notices you are having trouble cleaning these areas, he might recommend protecting them with dental sealants. Dental sealants in Cincinnati, Ohio, are durable, plastic shells that the dentist can paint onto the biting surfaces of each back tooth immediately following your regular dental checkup.

A special ultraviolet light will be used to harden the resin. When plaque and food particles get stuck in the occlusal surface, the resin effectively prevents the bacteria from having direct exposure to the tooth enamel.

Dental sealants are very durable and can help protect the biting surfaces on back teeth for several years. Even though your teeth are protected, you should still continue to brush the teeth with dental sealants. The resin material is very resilient and it won’t wear away from simple routine brushing.

If are interested in protect the biting surfaces of your molars and premolars, you should call Montgomery Dentistry at 513.793.2611 to ask about dental sealants.