Treatments

Preventive Dentistry

Pit of Fissure Sealants Treatments

The top surfaces of your teeth - where the chewing takes place - are rough and has deep grooves called pits and fissures. These are places where plaque can build up and cannot be removed by your toothbrush and dental floss. Some of the pits and fissures are so narrow that even a single bristle from your toothbrush can't get deep enough to clean them out therefore can cause cavities in these pits and fissures.

One method of preventing cavities from developing in the pits and fissures is to seal them off with a special pit and fissure sealant. Your dentist will clean the tooth first, then apply a mild acid solution to 'etch' the surface and make it easier for the pit and fissure sealant to stick. The whole procedure is quick and painless. Keeping the area dry and away from your saliva during the application is very important. If the tooth gets wet, the sealant might not stick properly. Once everything is ready, your dentist 'paints' the sealant right over the pits and fissures on the tooth surface. A special kind of light cures the sealant , by which we seal the pits.

Types of Dental Filling

Oral Hygiene
Oral Hygiene and Plaque

Oral hygiene refers to keeping the mouth, and all the teeth, clean and free of dental plaque.
"Daily oral hygiene practices such as brushing and flossing can prevent both caries and gingivitis."
You are also advised to see your dentist twice a year for professional scaling and polishing.

Dental plaque, calculus or tartar

Dental plaque is a thin coating of bacteria and food particles that stick to teeth.

Plaque cannot be rinsed off, but can only be removed by brushing and flossing.
Dental plaque is formed when the bacteria that normally live in our mouths are allowed to accumulate on and attach to the teeth.
Plaque converts dietary sugars to acid.
The acid dissolves the tooth material and causes tooth to decay.

Plaque calcifies and hardens to become calculus or tartar.

These hardened deposits can only be removed by the dentist or hygienist by scaling and polishing , as brushing cannot do so.

Why is oral hygiene important and best way to control dental plaque.

The practise of oral hygiene is important because it prevents the build up of dental plaque.
Plaque causes the two most common diseases like, dental decay & gum disease.
The longer dental plaque sticks to the teeth, the greater is the risk of dental disease.
Brushing and flossing will control plaque formation.
Brush and floss twice a day, after breakfast and before bedtime.
Rinse daily with a mouthwash.
Eating less refined sugar will reduce plaque formation.