This is the second article in a three part series telling you of our top 3 ways to prevent decay in your child’s teeth. If you missed it, read part one on why baby teeth are important and why decay is hard to find in some kids molar teeth.
No matter how well you clean those back teeth it is a common site for decay in children’s teeth.
No matter how well you clean those back teeth, it is a common site for decay in children’s teeth. So a useful strategy is to seal these deep grooves to prevent decay.
If a tooth is heading down the track towards a cavity we want to get to it as early as possible.
Detecting any early damage will allows us to clean the groove out and seal it up before there’s a cavity.
Once there is a cavity in a tooth we will have to drill right through the enamel in order to remove the decay in the tooth and place a filling. This means the tooth always ends up weaker. For the rest of your life the tooth is never going to be as strong as if it were intact and perfect.
The beauty of a fissure sealant is it allows us to clean the groove out many times without going through the enamel. The “bio-rim” of your enamel is left intact with a fissure sealant and the tooth stays strong.
The pros of fissure sealants are that they save you from getting cavities.
The cons of fissure sealants are that they cost money and time.
Yes. There are different types of materials and techniques that dentists use to do fissure sealants, so it is worth asking your dentist about their method.
For us our important first step is to thoroughly clean out the grooves and we use a ‘bur’ for this as it cleans everything out including the plaque. We then stain it with a dye to make sure that all the bacteria are gone and then we seal it up using an epoxy resin which is the longest lasting fissure sealant material.
Some practitioners may use a material called glass ionomer, which is a quick, ‘dirty’ and cheap solution. Some don’t even clean all the bacteria out first – the thinking is that if you seal over the top of the bacteria all will be fine. I’m not a fan of that because you just can’t be sure about what’s going on underneath the seal.
We use the epoxy resin rather than glass ionomer because it’s harder, more durable and it’s got better adhesion. In terms of how long these materials will last, we can’t be definite as there are external factors such as the patient’s bite etc that can vary the lifetime of a fissure sealant. We tell patients fissure sealants will last between 5-10 years, which is similar lifetime to a filling.
There are some special cases where we would use glass ionomer as an interim measure. This is usually only when something is happening, such as the tooth not through the gum yet. In these cases we seal it up as best we can while the tooth coming through the gum and when it’s through we would remove the temporary seal and put the proper sealant in.
The teeth are most susceptible to deep groove cavities are the molars: the 6 year old molars and 13 year old molars. Naturally everyone is different so some kids don’t need any, some we recommend one or two and in other cases we recommend all the molars get a fissure sealant as they are all susceptible.
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Your first visit at Today’s Dentistry is all about creating a Dental Roadmap so you know exactly what condition your teeth and gums are in, and what your options are for treatment.
Your first appointment includes:
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B. Oral Health (Therapy & Hygiene)
“Working with patients of all ages continues to ignite my passion within dentistry and I strive to provide a gentle, supportive and positive environment for every patient I work with. ”
B. App Sci (Oral Health)
“I enjoy seeing the delight that our patients show when they realise how easy dental care can be! Our team at Today’s Dentistry work together to make every patient feel completely comfortable.”
Dr Sharon's commitment to excellence has shown itself right from the start of her dental career, when she graduated from the University of Queensland with Class I Honours. Her commitment to her craft is reflected in the numerous professional development courses she participates in, with a desire to get the best possible outcomes for her patients.
Dr. Sharon is passionate about empowering patients through education about their dental conditions, supporting them through overcoming dental anxiety, and helping them achieve their dental goals.
Away from the clinic, Dr. Sharon is an avid baker, a keen photographer, and a fitness enthusiast aiming to conquer the Bridge to Brisbane run in 2023.
I always loved going to my own dental visits, and one day I honestly just though ‘why don’t I give dental assisting a go’. I applied for a job and got a call back straight away, and have been in the industry ever since!
I studied my Cert 3 in Dental Assisting online alongside working full time in my first dental job. I chose to do it online so I had more time to work as I am more of a hands on learner.
I LOVE smile makeovers. I love seeing the joy, and happiness it brings patients and the amount of confidence they gain by having their dream smile.
I love feeling like I am making some sort of impact on people’s lives. Whether it is helping them with their smile makeover, holding their hand during a procedure or just being an ear to talk to and a shoulder to cry on.
The team, they are all so wonderful and both Darryl and David are so great to work for. But also what our core value is – which is patient care. I think we are a really great team at making sure our patients come first and their experience with us is a positive one each and every time.
Brisbane born and bred, Sarah’s passion for dentistry began during her orthodontic treatment in her teens. After graduating from highschool, Sarah began working as a dental nurse and decided her true calling was as a dental hygienist. She graduated from the University of Queensland in 2006 and has worked in both the private and public sector since then.
Sarah’s focus is on prevention and education. Her goal is to empower her patients so that they can achieve and maintain the best possible oral health for life.
In her free time Sarah can be found spending time with her two sons, hiking, attending a pilates class or exploring Brisbane and the surrounds looking for new restaurants to eat at or adventures to have.
I have been a proud part of the Today's Dentistry team for 20 years now.
My journey to get here though was anything but straight forward and I can probably thank my own childhood family dental visits in Newcastle NSW for my interest in this area of care. It too was a very special practice that took the time with their patients young and old and truly cared about them.
Having my own great experiences as a patient I was thrilled for them to accept me for my Year 10 work experience as a dental assistant and fell comfortably into the role. Due to life as it was back then and lack of public transport my career took me in a whole different direction and I had many years at the Aluminium Smelter in Kurri Kurri.
Once my children were at school I applied for a position as a receptionist at the local Dental Practice only to be told it was actually for an assistant and was I still interested? Silly question! Hands on training the old school way which put me in great position for further learning when our family moved to WA for a couple of years and then finally finding my way to QLD and Darrly and David.
Dentistry to me is a package of many very important parts, the precision and artistry of the actual treatment, the person behind the treatment and understanding of not only their dental needs but emotional drivers and the communication and care to put this all together. Although I now find myself not chairside but doing the behind the scenes administration I still get to talk with our patients and be confident that they are in good hands with my wonderful team.
B. App Sci (Oral Health)
“I love the professionalism and challenge at Today’s Dentistry. It is great to work at a practice that believes in quality patient care”
Founder and Principal Dentist
“I value the many loyal patient relationships that I have built over the last 25 years and enjoy witnessing the procedures I have done stand the test of time.”
B. App Sci (Oral Health)
“I have worked in Dentistry in one form or another since I was 16 years old. I love this profession and making a difference in others lives.”
B.DSc (Hons) B.Sc (Hons)
“Although I love the scientific side of dentistry, I also get a great deal of satisfaction from helping our patients and surprising them with what modern dentistry is capable of.”