How Does Resin Infiltration Work
Patients of all ages can develop white spots on their teeth. White spot lesions occur when the outer enamel begins to break down and experiences a cycle of demineralization and remineralization, causing the porosity of the tooth to reflect light differently from surrounding healthy enamel.
It is not uncommon for children who have recently completed orthodontic treatment to notice white spots on their teeth after their braces come off. This is most often a result of poor oral hygiene during orthodontic treatment in which plaque, bacteria, and acids are allowed to sit on the teeth and eat away at the enamel. White spots can also be a side effect of certain medications and may even be genetic.
Some patients may think that they can simply whiten their teeth to even out the surface color. Unfortunately, whitening with white spot lesions will only make the white spots appear worse. ICON resin infiltration is a procedure that stops enamel breakdown and reduces the appearance of white spot lesions.
What is ICON resin infiltration?
Resin infiltration was originally intended to treat tooth decay on the surface of a tooth. The resin closes pores in the enamel to stop deteriorating acids and minerals from invading the tooth further. ICON resin infiltration uses micro-invasive technology to fill in areas of demineralized enamel.
This process is minimally invasive and does not require any anesthetic or drilling and only takes 45 minutes to an hour to complete. Icon resin infiltration is considered a long-term solution and can last anywhere between two and six years.
How is ICON resin infiltration treatment performed?
To begin, the teeth are cleaned with the same pumice that your dental hygienist uses to polish your teeth. This ensures a clean work area and enables the treatment to be as effective as possible.
A hydrochloric acid etching solution is applied to white spot lesions to remove the enamel that is blocking calcium and other ions from entering the tooth. The teeth are then treated with an ethanol solution to dry out the lesions and pores in the enamel.
Now that the tooth is prepped, the resin infiltration material is applied to the teeth and is allowed to soak in for three minutes. Any excess material is wiped from the teeth and the resin is cured with an ultraviolet light. This process is repeated, this time with the resin material soaking for one minute before being cured again. The teeth are then polished with a polishing wheel or finishing burr to shine them back up!
ICON resin infiltration is an effective treatment for tooth discoloration and deterioration that works by reinforcing to the normal and filling the pores. This helps minimize the appearance of discoloration by refracting light the same as your other teeth.
Other restorative options for discolored teeth, such as composite bonding and porcelain veneers, are significantly more invasive and much more costly. ICON resin infiltration can be completed in one visit in under an hour whereas bonding and veneers can take multiple visits.
If you have white spots or discoloration on your teeth, your dentist can determine if ICON resin infiltration is a good treatment to give you the best results possible.