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This is Apgujeong Yonsei Baro Dental Clinic.

ICON Treatment: A Popular Option for Treating White Spots Without Drilling

ICON is a product name, while the official name of this treatment is resin infiltration, meaning the infiltration of resin particles into microscopic areas.

Because the tooth is not drilled, anesthesia is not required, and the treatment takes only about 20 minutes.

Conventional resin treatment requires drilling, so anesthesia is necessary.

This is a very good treatment option for those who are hesitant about treatment because they are afraid of pain.

Not All White Spot Lesions Receive the Same Treatment

There are various causes of white spot lesions, and the treatment method may differ even for similar-looking lesions because the following factors vary from person to person:

• Depth of the lesion

• Extent

• Color

• Degree of improvement desired by the patient

The question people with white spot lesions are most curious about is, “Why did they develop in the first place?”

Some white spot lesions are present from birth due to genetic factors or medications.

They can also be caused by fluoride. Fluorosis, which may occur when a child consumes a large amount of fluoride during early childhood—when the permanent teeth have not yet erupted and are still developing inside the jawbone—is another possible cause of white spot lesions.

On the other hand, some teeth erupt in a clean condition but later develop areas of demineralization due to inadequate brushing. These areas can also be a cause of white spot lesions.

As the causes and depths of the lesions vary, and each patient has a different desired outcome, we recommend different treatment methods according to each individual situation.

This patient visited us for non-drilling ICON treatment because they had white spot lesions on four front teeth.

White spot lesions usually consist of a mixture of deeper and shallower areas.

Resin may not infiltrate some of the deeper areas, so white spots may remain.

If a perfect result is desired, these areas would need to be drilled away and treated with conventional resin. However, because the overall white area is significantly reduced compared with the initial condition, it is more common to avoid resin treatment even if a small amount remains.

We explained the possibility that some white areas might remain and proceeded with treatment.

These photos were taken after approximately 20 minutes of treatment.

Some areas still appear slightly white.

The patient wanted to finish with a natural-looking result, so no additional resin treatment was performed.

The white areas are noticeable when the teeth are photographed up close,

but they are barely visible in an overall facial photo taken under natural lighting.

Resin restorations can discolor over time and need to be replaced. Given this result, we do not recommend resin treatment.

Preserving as Much of the Natural Tooth as Possible Is the Best Treatment

Completely removing every white spot is not always the best option.

We believe that the more important treatment goal is to preserve as much healthy tooth structure as possible while creating a natural-looking result that satisfies the patient.

At Apgujeong Yonsei Baro Dental Clinic, we accurately diagnose the cause and depth of each lesion and guide patients toward the most suitable treatment method by considering both their expectations and the condition of their teeth.