Sealing teeth

By brushing your teeth twice a day and properly cleaning the space between your teeth and molars with dental sticks, interdental brushes or dental floss, you reduce the chance of cavities or other dental problems. Another way to prevent cavities is to have your teeth sealed. This way, bacteria can no longer penetrate deep into the tooth or molar. When you have your teeth sealed at Maliekwartier Tandartsen, you benefit as standard from the following advantages:

• Sealed teeth to prevent cavities
• Open every Monday to Thursday until 8:00 pm
• Experienced dentists and prevention assistants

What is sealing teeth?

Sealing teeth means that the pits and grooves are sealed with a so-called fissure sealant. This provides optimal protection against the formation of plaque and thereby prevents cavities from forming.

The treatment

If you come to Maliekwartier Tandartsen for a teeth-sealing treatment, it takes place in a number of steps.

Cleaning and drying your teeth

It is important to first carefully clean the teeth to be sealed. After cleaning, it is important to dry the teeth and molars. This is to prevent saliva from staying behind and the sealant not adhering properly. For drying, we use a saliva ejector in combination with cotton rolls. In certain situations, the dentist uses a rubber sheet, to fix it with a small clamp. The dentist then uses an air syringe to dry the molar.

Etching and rinsing

After drying the tooth or molar, we roughen the pits and grooves in your teeth a little. This ensures better adhesion. We roughen them with a gel that contains acidic components. This technique is called etching. The agent needs some time to take effect and afterwards we use water to remove the gel. For this, we use a water syringe with water, which the saliva ejector then sucks up.

Sealing teeth and letting them cure

Next, we seal the teeth. The dentist applies a layer of sealant to the molar. Due to the roughening of the grooves and pits, the agent penetrates deep into the tooth. After sealing the teeth, the sealant must cure. We speed up this process by directing a lamp with blue light at it. Of course, we then check whether the layer of sealant has adhered properly.

After the teeth sealing

After the treatment, you can eat and drink again almost immediately. You can also brush the treated teeth again that same day with toothpaste.

Cost of sealing teeth

The Dutch Healthcare Authority determines the rates for dental treatments each year. The costs for having your teeth sealed are therefore the same at all dentists. View the overview of rates for insight into the cost of sealing teeth.

Reimbursement of sealing teeth

For children up to the age of 18, there is a reimbursement of the costs of sealing teeth. Dental costs for minor children fall under the basic health insurance, and sealing teeth falls under this. For adults, there is no reimbursement from the basic health insurance. Have you taken out supplementary dental insurance with your health insurer? In that case, check the conditions of this insurance. It is possible that you are eligible for a full or partial reimbursement.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a teeth-sealing treatment take?

Sealing teeth is a simple dental treatment and often takes no more than ten minutes. This is also a reason why the dentist often combines this treatment with a check-up appointment.

Is the result permanent?

The sealing treatment provides protection against plaque for several years. This is one of the advantages of sealing teeth, but the treatment does not offer a permanent result. After several years, the layer of synthetic resin wears away. That is why good oral hygiene always remains important.

Do I no longer have to brush my teeth after the treatment?

It remains important to continue brushing twice a day after sealing teeth. There is a protective layer on the teeth and molars, but this does not offer a 100% guarantee against cavities. It is extra protection to reduce the risk of caries.

Contacting Maliekwartier Tandartsen

Would you like to have your teeth or those of your child sealed? Contact Maliekwartier Tandartsen and make an appointment for a consultation or to register. Our dental practice is located at Koningslaan 62 in Utrecht. Call us on 030 760 1267 or send a message to info@tandartsutrecht.nl.