Some people avoid going to the dentist because they fear that their dental services will involve pain or discomfort. Nevertheless, many treatments that are performed by a dentist are completely pain-free, even without the use of anesthesia. 

Here are a few preventive or restorative dental applications that don't involve pain.

Dental Sealants

The dentist applies a dental sealant as a preventive service. A sealant is a plastic barrier that the dentist places on the chewing surfaces of the molars. The barrier is poured onto the tooth's surface as a liquid and then hardened into place. 

Prior to the sealant's application, the dentist cleans and dries the tooth. In addition, they apply an acidic solution to roughen the tooth's surface, permitting the sealant to adhere to the tooth more firmly. 

Sealants are commonly applied in pediatric dentistry. The application is quick and painless.

Fluoride Treatments

Fluoride treatments are also painless. The applications provide the teeth with a concentrated dose of fluoride.

Fluoride helps to remineralize the teeth and prevent decay. Although your drinking water and toothpaste may contain fluoride, the concentration in these substances is much smaller than that found in professional fluoride treatment.

To treat the teeth, the dentist coats the tooth enamel with a fluoride solution, foam, or gel. The product is allowed to remain on the tooth material for the recommended period before being rinsed away.

When applied to the teeth, the fluoride attracts minerals, such as phosphorus and calcium back to the teeth. These minerals may have been displaced from the tooth enamel by bacterial acids. The attracted minerals connect with the fluoride to form a new tooth material that is not as easily damaged by acids as the original tooth enamel.

Dental Bonding

Dental bonding material is made of a flexible resin that hardens into place when exposed to a bright light. The material is used to restore areas of a tooth that may have been chipped away, cracked, or decayed. 

Prior to dental bonding, the dentist prepares the designated tooth by applying an acidic solution that roughens the tooth's surface. The tooth is subsequently dried, and the bonding material, which is white, is simply pressed into position on the tooth. After the dentist molds the material into the desired shape, they apply an ultraviolet light to harden it into place. The hardened material can then be polished to look like natural tooth enamel.

For more information about painless dental services, schedule a consultation with a dentist like Dr. Jon Douglas Lesan, DDS, RpH, PA,  in your local area.