A priceless tool
Enter a mid-20s female who presented for a new-patient exam. She had sealants on all her molars, never had a cavity in her life, and her mom is a hygienist (on the East Coast). I had to be the one to tell her she had cavities under some of the sealants that had chipped and worn away. Say, what? Both mom and daughter were skeptical, but after showing my patient the pictures, she gave permission to move forward with the restorative dentistry.
This is where the most priceless tool you can have comes into play: an intraoral camera. If you don’t have one, get one. I’ve written about this topic numerous times, and there really isn’t a reason for you not to have one. ZERO.
Why do I love to hate sealants?
It’s situations like this that make me cringe. It’s as if we have to convince our patients that something is wrong with a restoration that was placed to prevent the very thing we’re telling them they need to address. Sketchy talk? You bet.
Oh, I know there are seminars, tips and tricks for placing sealants, CE courses, and a billion things to read about these vexing restorations—from case selection, placement, materials to use, who can/can’t and should/shouldn’t
I’m not trying to convince you to change or stop doing what you’re already doing. I’m just merely pointing out my frustration over these restorations and wondering if there is a solution to the conundrum that I’m not seeing. The problem isn’t just with my patients; it’s with patients I see from other practices all over the map.
Editor’s note: This article first appeared in Through the Loupes newsletter, a publication of the Endeavor Business Media Dental Group. Read more articles and subscribe to Through the Loupes.
