Icon Treatment

What Causes white spots?

There are several reasons why white spots can appear on your teeth:

• Fluorosis – It could be that you consumed too much fluoride when you were younger
• When tooth enamel doesn’t form properly
• Trauma or illness as a child
• Decalcification of the enamel – loss of minerals from the enamel due to poor brushing and build up of plaque acids on the enamel surface
• Lack of brushing whilst having braces, specifically due to lack of brushing around the brace brackets
• Problems or illness during pregnancy/premature birth
• Poor Oral Hygiene
• Diet that is high in sugar
• Health conditions such as Coeliac Disease, Acid Reflux and Tetracycline
• Genetics

Whatever the reason, the good news is that they can be treated in a non invasive way.

How can white spots be treated?

Many people think the white spots or mottled appearance of the teeth is staining and they think that the overall colour of the teeth can be improved by teeth whitening alone.

However, this would have little effect, as the white spots will remain lighter than the rest of the tooth.

With the use of Icon, the natural colour of the tooth can be restored and the white spots can be removed. In the past, the only way to treat teeth with white spots was with composite bonding or veneers. However, these types of treatment sometimes require the removal of healthy tooth tissue, which is not favoured by modern dentists.

Icon is a minimally invasive technique that uses a process of infiltration to blend the white spots in with the rest of the tooth. There is no drilling required and the healthy teeth can remain but the colour will be restored to its original and natural state.

The Benefits

• There is no drilling
• Maintains the healthy parts of your tooth
• Natural tooth colour is restored and white spots are blended in
• It is a minimally invasive technique
• Helps to stop the enamel wearing away by blocking damage-causing acids
• Helps to preserve the tooth from future decay
• A simple and painless procedure taking roughly 15 minutes per tooth
• Helps to protect the tooth from future decay

How is ICON treatment completed?

Enamel Microabrasion treatments

If your teeth have some superficial staining on top of the white spot don’t worry this is common. We can try and remove these areas with whitening and microabrasion treatment first to lift the surface stain prior to ICON.

Microabrasion is a quick and painless solution for removing yellow, white, or brown spots, stains, and discolorations on the teeth. This procedure uses phosphoric acid and pumice to gently remove thin layers of tooth enamel, removing the stains.

The aim of microabrasion is to smoothly and uniformly remove a superficial layer of enamel (less than 0.2mm), giving the teeth an even tone and a shiny finish.

Is Microabrasion Safe For Teeth?

Medical consensus agrees on microabrasion’s longevity and safety. Though the process involves the removal of a micro-thin layer of dental enamel, microabrasion is an atraumatic method for removing superficial stains and defects.

Other Uses Of ICON: Filling Without Drilling!

The Icon Procedure is an effective method for treating early decay. This treatment is considered less invasive than traditional approaches for providing patients with dental fillings because it does not involve the use of a drill!

How is the Icon Procedure used?

If you visit us regularly you have the opportunity to be screened for early decay, especially if you come for the advised 6 month check up. Dentists at the clinic can halt the progression of early cavities before there is a need for needles and drilling by using this advanced technology.

How does the Icon Procedure work?

First, your dentist will use a special cleanser to prepare the treatment area. Then, we will apply a liquid infiltrate containing a microparticle resin material. The liquid then infiltrates the tooth’s enamel to strengthen the damaged part of the tooth. In this way, the procedure can stop a cavity from worsening and prevent the need for drilling.

What are the benefits of the Icon filling procedure?

• No drilling to address early tooth decay
• No pain or recovery time
• No tooth material is lost in the treatment of dental decay
• Does the Icon Procedure replace traditional fillings?

The Icon treatment can increase a tooth’s longevity by stopping decay early. However if you don’t look after your teeth new decay can form.

To note this is not a viable treatment for advanced tooth decay.

More Information From DMG

The principle of infiltration treatment is quite simple. A liquid resin is applied to the afflicted tooth, penetrating deep into the dental enamel where it hardens. What good does that do?

• It stops caries at an early stage – without drilling.
• Esthetic treatment of white spots
• Preservation of healthy tooth structure