Whats the difference between a sealant and a filling?
A sealant is placed on the biting surfaces of a healthy tooth to prevent decay. A sealant is applied by first conditioning the surface with etch, then it is rinsed and dried.The tooth colored sealant material is then brushed on and exposed to a light, so the sealant will harden and bond to the tooth. A filling is placed on a tooth that was unhealthy because of the presence of decay. When the tooth has the decay removed with a dental drill, the area in which the decay was removed is now “filled” with a tooth colored material to restore the function of the tooth.
