ICON (Treating Caries or Chalky White Teeth Without Drilling)
in Spring Branch & Memorial, Houston, TX
Drill? No thanks!
Beautiful smile? Yes, please!
The Drill Scare
What is the scariest thing about seeing a dentist? The dentist’s drill. Even in the hands of a most charming female, a kindest-looking lady, or a very fatherly-looking gentleman dentist beaming smiles at you, the drill scares a lot of otherwise brave people. Many are even allergic to the noise produced by the drill! Drilling away damaged material from your teeth has since ages been considered the only way to protect you from pain-that is short of extraction itself. What if teeth cavities could be removed without the need for drilling, or placing any filling? Yes, at Lifeworks Dental, it is certainly possible. Say hello to Icon.
The Conventional Treatment
The conventional treatment of tooth decay is to drill out the decayed part and then fill the space with a mass of selected filling materials like composite resin fillings. The ‘evil’ drill hated by so many dental patients, especially children, is always part of caries treatment. Further, you lose some enamel. The filled material can never be like your natural enamel, and if not carefully color-matched, may look odd.
Treatment without the Drilling- ICON
The ICON treatment concept is a complete game changer! Icon is basically caries infiltrate, which penetrates the tooth structures and reinforces the demineralized tooth structured which has been damaged due to cavities. “Fill out the pores. Retain your enamel rather than drilling the porous mass out”. That’s it. No need for anesthesia or drilling!
The Icon Treatment
The treatment of caries with the Icon ™ material is simple. When early signs of caries are detected, like white spots on teeth, that is the time to act. The following steps are involved.
1. Cleaning and Etching
The affected surface is cleaned and etched with a mild acid. This results in the opening of the pore system of the teeth.
2. Drying the Tooth
The pore system of the teeth is then dried using ethanol
3. Application of Icon
Icon is then applied to the tooth by using the application aid.
The whole procedure is completed in a single sitting and takes less than 15 minutes to complete.
Who Can Benefit from Icon?
The icon can be used for the following restorative purposes:
Arresting Teeth Cavities
Icon is the best option for arresting cavities in their early stages. Icon infiltrates the tooth and blocks the pathways for the infiltration of the bacteria which cause teeth cavities.
Getting Rid of White Spots
White spots ruin smile and facial esthetics. Instead of removing the white spots with a drill, we will just apply Icon to the affected area, so that it looks exactly like the surrounding healthy tooth structure.
The Cost
The total cost will vary depending on your dentist, the locality, and extent of the affected area. But whatever the cost, the Icon treatment is well worth it.
What are the Benefits of Icon?
Icon provides several benefits over the conventional restorative and preventive options like fillings and fluoride therapy:
- Anesthesia free and pain free treatment
- No drilling required
- Caries can be arrested without the need for drilling away natural tooth structure
- The life expectancy of the tooth is improved remarkably
So basically, Icon offers a hassle-free option for getting rid of white spots and incipient teeth cavities. Just sit back, relax and let us get rid of your teeth cavities without using any invasive procedure.
Can Icon Treat Every Case of Decay?
The Icon treatment will stop caries in the early stages. If you avoid Icon treatment in the early stages, then, unfortunately, you may have to get the tooth restored by a dental filling. Therefore, it is always better to get a problem treated in its early stages.
Say Goodbye to the Drill!
The decay of your teeth is caused by the time you allow the bacteria to operate. If you clean your teeth of food particles soon after eating, and clean them thoroughly, you are less likely to develop caries and face the dentist’s drill. Also, visiting us regularly at Lifeworks Dental will also ensure that any cavities in your teeth and diagnosed and treated in a timely manner and that too without using any drill during anesthesia. How cool is that!