What is Icon resin infiltration?
Icon resin infiltration is a new, revolutionary approach to cosmetic dentistry and the treatment of white spots on the teeth. This micro-invasive technology fills and reinforces demineralized enamel without drilling or anesthesia. After treatment, the white spots on teeth are diminished, leaving behind a spotless smile.
How do white spots on teeth form?
The patches of discoloration on the teeth can occur for a number of reasons, including fluorosis, demineralization, enamel hypoplasia, or poor oral hygiene.
- Fluorosis is a cosmetic condition that is caused by overexposure to fluoride during the first eight years of life when permanent teeth are being formed. After the adult teeth come in, those affected by fluorosis may appear mildly discolored.
- Demineralization is the loss of crucial minerals like calcium from the tooth enamel. This is caused by plaque buildup and acid exposure over time. The bacteria and acid attack the enamel, which weakens it and causes spotting. Sometimes demineralization can occur as a result of orthodontic treatment.
- Enamel hypoplasia a condition that causes teeth to have thinner enamel than usual. This makes the teeth more vulnerable to stains and decay.
- Naturally, poor oral hygiene can lead to numerous dental issues. Without proper care, teeth become more susceptible to staining, cavities or more severe conditions.
What are the benefits of Icon resin infiltration?
In addition to improving the appearance of your smile by diminishing spotting, Icon resin infiltration has many other benefits when compared to other treatments.
- It can stop dental caries (tooth decay or cavities) from progressing at an early stage.
- It is considered a micro-invasive technology.
- It requires no anesthesia or drilling.
- It can achieve the desired results in one patient visit.
- It preserves the healthy tooth structure.
Did you know?
How is Icon resin infiltration performed?
The procedure begins by preparing the lesions (spots) by abrading lightly with a disk (optional), then using a 15% hydrochloric acid (Icon-Etch, DMG) to etch the surface of the tooth. Ethanol alcohol (Icon-Dry, DMG) is then applied, which shows a preview of the final result. If the preview is not satisfactory, your dentist may etch a second and possibly a third time. Next, the resin (Icon-Infiltrant, DMG) is brushed onto the lesions, allowed to penetrate (≤ 800 micrometers in depth), light cured, and finished. The infiltrant can be applied for up to 3 minutes before light curing to reach the desired level of infiltration. For deeper lesions, the first application of the infiltrant may be left on longer than 3 minutes. After light curing, the infiltrant creates a diffusion barrier within the hard tissue that stabilizes the caries, cutting off its supply of nutrients and oxygen.
Within minutes, your smile can be completely transformed, revealing a spot-free set of teeth.