Pit & Fissure Sealant...Nail it in the Bud!!!
Caries, Cavities and Toothache these are a few names that come to our mind when we think of DENTIST. And once we have visited the dentist, next thought comes to our mind, could it have been prevented? (Well, not the visit but the decay or cavities). Especially if the patient is a kid and visit is painful. But the problem is that this thought lasts only a few hours or may be days and then we fall back to our daily routine. Especially with children it becomes very tedious to ensure that they always clean their teeth properly, brush twice a day and control the Sugary and sticky food intake.
As dentists in such children we see the starting of caries as fine black lines on the chewing surface of tooth. Now the problem here arises out of two things. One the tooth structure itself and second the food we eat.
First the tooth structure! If you have observed a little carefully you would agree that tooth, primarily the posterior tooth, resemble like mountains or valleys.
Figure 1 Mountains & Valleys
Figure 2 Pits and Fissures before sealant & After Sealant
(note the Shallow self sleansing Valleys...
The chewing surface of tooth is not flat rather they have small mountains and valleys which we call cusps (the mountains) and fissures (the Valleys) and these are necessary for perfect interlocking of teeth in opposite jaw and efficient chewing. The problem arises when the newly erupted tooth had sharp valleys.
The second factor now comes in to play, the sugary and sticky food start to stick on the chewing surface, not on the mounds or mountains but in the deeper part of valleys in between the surrounding valleys aka in between the CUSPS. The starting of caries can be seen as fine black lines in these valleys which we take for granted until the food doesn’t starts sticking in somewhat larger cavities or we don’t have pain. But till then it’s too late and now treatment at that stage would require More Time, More Discomfort and Greater loss of tooth structure.
This was the bad part.
But there is a good part too. This all can be prevented from progressing in to the advanced stages of tooth decay, cavities etc. Those fine black lines that you noticed in the valleys amongst mountains (CUSPS) can be removed with a diamond bur (procedure called enameloplasty) and a valley with sharp dip is changed to a shallow valley by the addition of PIT & FISSURE SEALANTS. Now this deep valley which was attracting food particles and causing decays is now converted to a shallow valley that self-cleanses whenever we eat or drink something. And Yes! The problem is nailed in the bud…somewhat automatically…
On the other hand, such areas can be identified beforehand and even before the starting of caries or those black lines, sharp valleys can be converted to shallow self-cleansing valleys thereby preventing the progression of disease. The procedure itself takes less time, is not painful, is non-traumatic and helps the children/kids develop a faith with THE DENTIST which is beneficial and conducive for future treatments if any.
So we recommend all children to be screened for Deep Fissures (aka Valleys) and if needed be remodeled to self-cleansing Shallow Fissures (aka valleys) to prevent the Cavities and associated pain, loss of time and energy. Think over it and decide.
PIT & FISSURE SEALANTS treatment is available at THE DENTIST dental clinic, First Floor, Shop No. 6, Shivalik City Gate no. 9, Near Mata Mansa Devi Mandir, Sec 126, Greater Mohali. You can contact us @ 7696273752 or 8591691649
Keep Smiling…
