The treatment, called Icon, is one of several new cavity treatments that avoid drilling. It was developed in Germany and it is used in cases where decay has not gone beyond the tooth enamel. Our dentists are all fully trained in the use of this treatment and Brightside Dental is one of the few dental practices in London currently offering this service.
At the moment the standard practice in case of tooth decay is following two courses: if the problem is discovered at an early stage, it could be reversible through better brushing and fluoride or calcium-containing toothpastes. If the cavity is spotted at a later stage the only option is at least a filling. There is, however, the case of an intermediate situation when the decay is irreversible but not big enough to be drilled without affecting healthy tooth tissue as well. In these situations, the dentists are forced to advice the patient to keep an eye on the decay and wait until it becomes big enough to be filled.
The Icon treatment has been developed by a dentist especially for these intermediate stages of tooth decay.
What is the science behind Icon?
The main effect of the tooth decay on the enamel is that minerals, such as calcium, seep away and leave a porous sponge-like structure of the tooth behind. Left untreated the pores become bigger and bigger and turn into a cavity.
The Icon treatment’s first stage is to apply a layer of mild acid to open up a route to the pores and clear out decayed enamel. Then the open pores are filled with a clear resin.
It’s obvious that the main advantage of this is preserving and extending the life of the natural tooth but most of the dentists agree that the best, most effective and the least expensive solution to tooth decay is following their advice and having regular checks in order to prevent or in case of early decay to reverse the process with the help of good brushing and fluoride toothpastes.
But for patients who aren’t able to change their dental hygiene habits, or who are predisposed to tooth decay, this may be a good solution for keeping the dentist’s drill at bay.
For an easier way to understand the whole process follow this link:
http://uk.drilling-no-thanks.com/icon/the-principle/
If you have any questions, you can always come in to the practice and ask our friendly team about how you can benefit from a drill free treatment if you think it is suitable.
For more information or special offers click like on our Facebook page by following this link:
