Icon treatment of caries: essence, materials, implementation, advantages and disadvantages

6223

For most of the population, the sound of a dental drill evokes indescribable horror, which is why the need to visit the dentist’s office makes the knees tremble.

The dental industry is rapidly evolving towards providing patients with painless and effective treatment.

The German Icon technology, actively used by European dentists, refers specifically to such methods of therapy.

General overview

Icon technology has recently appeared in modern dentistry, but is already in great demand among patients.

The technique was developed in Germany in collaboration with the Charité Institute and the University of Kiel. This development offers patients microinvasive treatment of the initial stages of caries, while preserving dentinal tissue.

The technique involves painless therapy, excluding the use of a drill. Using the infiltration method, initial caries with lesion depths E1, E2 and D1 is completely cured.

How is caries treated without a drill using the icon method?

The dentist impregnates the affected tooth tissue with a special gel that has high penetrating power. With the help of this drug, both the frontal and interdental surfaces of the tooth are treated equally well. Next is the application of an infiltrant that blocks the pathological process. The final stage is polishing the tooth surface.

The effect of ICON (Aikon) is based on the blockage of the affected areas, the penetration of the drug into the smallest capillaries of enamel and dentin. As a result, pathogens are blocked, and therapy is done without drilling and filling.

Operating principle

Under the influence of pathogenic bacteria, tooth enamel is demineralized in some places, which leads to the development of caries, and in severe cases, tooth extraction.
If you pay attention to the condition of your teeth in time and identify the development of pathology at an early stage, you can correct the situation by resorting to the Icon method.

The principle of operation is based on the fact that the area of the tooth affected by caries is filled with a polymer composition , the main task of which is to seal and stop the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria.

It is possible to stop the growth of bacteria in one visit to the dentist, which is undoubtedly a huge advantage of the technology.

During the procedure, the enamel is not destroyed, and the natural appearance of the tooth is preserved. In addition, Icon preparations restore the density of tooth enamel, thereby providing increased resistance to acidic environments.

Liquid filling Icon: what is it?

Icon is an abbreviation for the words Infiltration Concept, which means “infiltration concept”.
Infiltration is a microinvasive, that is, gentle dental treatment. The principle is that the liquid light-composite material penetrates the porous enamel and reliably “seals” the exposed surface of the tooth. The drug Ikon was developed by the German company DMG and has been used around the world since 2000.

How did Icon technology come about?

Icon, short for Infiltration Concept, which means “infiltration concept”. This technology was developed by the German company DMG, then it began to be widely used in European countries, and today it is already gaining popularity in Russia.

This treatment is minimally invasive and very popular in modern medicine, as it involves minimal interference in the natural functioning of the human body.

This technique works by introducing a polymer composition into the area affected by caries. The main objective of this treatment technology is to seal the affected cavity and stop the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria. At the same time, Icon helps restore the previous density of dental tissue and makes it much more resistant to acids in the future. Infiltration is an innovative method in dentistry.

This procedure is indicated for the early stages of caries development, when it appears as a white or dark spot on the enamel. That is, when there is no carious cavity on the surface yet.

It is especially convenient to use this technique when caries affects places that are difficult to reach. It is difficult to clean the spaces between teeth with a drill, but with the help of Icon, you can easily carry out treatment, since the device has very thin applicators.

Icon is often used to treat dark spots after braces are removed. Thus, caries is stopped at its early stage, protecting the beauty of the patient’s smile. In this case, tooth enamel does not crack, its color and transparency are preserved.

Peculiarities

Infiltration using the Icon method has the following features:

Its use gives positive results in the early and middle stages of the disease, until it progresses to a deep stage. Deep caries cannot be cured by this method; for such a disease, it is advisable to perform a filling using the classical method.
Icon strengthens tooth tissues and promotes their future resistance to the effects of acids. With this method of treatment, the layer of the tooth affected by caries is also removed by burning, but it is much less than when using a drill. Also, the new technology resists cracks in the enamel, which remains hard after the procedure.
Icon cannot always stop tooth decay. In some cases it may return. In this case, restoration of the dental organ and its treatment using the classical method are used. But such cases are very rare. At the same time, it is important to understand that the patient will not lose anything special, since, without using the Icon, he would still have to use a drill.

Compound

Etch: hydrochloric acid, pyrogenic silicic acid, surfactants
Dry: 99% ethanol
Infiltrant: methacrylate resin matrix, initiators, additives

Release forms

Icon Kariesinfiltrant - approximal Starter kit of 2 treatment kits Pack of 7 treatment kits

Icon Kariesinfiltrant - vestibular Starter kit of 2 treatment kits Pack of 7 treatment kits

Each treatment kit contains: Kariesinfiltrant - approximal • 1 Etch syringe with 0.3 ml liquid • 1 Dry syringe with 0.45 ml liquid • 1 Infiltrant syringe with 0.45 ml liquid • Accessories

Kariesinfiltrant - vestibular • 1 Etch syringe with 0.45 ml liquid • 1 Dry syringe with 0.45 ml liquid • 1 Infiltrant syringe with 0.45 ml liquid • Accessories

Advantages and disadvantages

Like any other type of treatment, Icon has both pros and cons. Let's consider both.

Advantages:

Minor tooth decay can be treated without preparing it.
Short duration of treatment, approximately 20-25 minutes.
No anesthesia or drill is used. The procedure is absolutely painless.
Healthy tissues of the dental organ are not loaded, as happens with classical treatment.
The area treated with this method is completely invisible against the background of other organs of the oral cavity.

Flaws:

such treatment gives results only in cases of superficial tissue damage; it does not treat deep caries; it requires the tooth to be prepared and filled;
the cost is significantly higher compared to classical treatment. This procedure will cost approximately 3.5-4 thousand rubles. And in economy class dentistry it is perhaps a little cheaper;
Only a highly qualified and advanced specialist in the field of new technologies can carry out such treatment efficiently;
To date, there is no consensus among experts regarding such treatment. There are both its supporters and opponents;
With this technique, a thin layer of the tooth still evaporates, although it is much smaller than when using a drill. At the same time, it is not always possible to stop caries, and the patient must subsequently resort to drilling.

Indications for the procedure

It’s not for nothing that doctors call caries treatment using the Icon method a “dental miracle.” The technology makes it possible to remove carious defects using various medicinal compounds and does not require the use of a large number of specialized instruments or the introduction of anesthetics. Its use is relevant in the following situations:

Initial caries. Dentin should be affected no more than 30%. But the best results can be achieved when only external damage to the enamel is detected.
Chalk spots that appear as a result of prolonged wearing of braces.
Unadvanced caries, localized in poorly accessible areas of the mouth.

This is interesting: What is the best anesthesia to use during dental treatment during pregnancy?
Icon is also suitable for people who suffer from dental phobia, that is, they are panicky afraid of the dentist and cannot bring themselves to cross the threshold of his office.

Contraindications

There are two main contraindications to the use of the Icon technique:

Late caries affecting deep layers of enamel; this type of disease requires drilling out the affected tissue and filling the cavity.
Childhood. For such treatment, special concentrated acids are used that can harm the child’s body. At the same time, a sufficient duration of the procedure requires patience and perseverance, which children usually lack.

Technology and infiltration materials

The infiltration method of treatment is successfully used in pediatric and adult dentistry, due to a number of features:

the possibility of treating caries in the early stages without using a drill;
there is no need to use anesthetic drugs;
manipulations do not cause the formation of microcracks, and the dentin structure is strengthened;
the appearance of the tooth is preserved, which does not spoil the patient’s smile.

During the procedure, special materials are used, including a gel based on hydrochloric acid, ethanol and a composite material that hardens under the beam of a polymer light lamp.

Kits for infiltration treatment come in two types:

for smooth surfaces , used in areas located near the mucous membrane;
for proximal surfaces , used in areas of contact of the diseased tooth with healthy units.

The kit includes medicinal formulations and all necessary instruments.

The active elements of the drugs act exclusively on the cavity damaged by caries, without affecting healthy tissue.

Instructions for treating vestibular surfaces

The syringes included in each kit contain enough material to treat two to three lesions of the vestibular surfaces.
Treatment of several lesions on the vestibular surfaces can be carried out in parallel.
Liquid Dam can also be used for use on vestibular surfaces.
Treatment of patients after orthodontic treatment, after removal of braces: if the treatment of white spots is carried out later than 1-2 months after removal of braces, etching should be done twice. If the white spot is still visible after applying Dry, a third etching is recommended.
A total of up to three etches with the Icon-Etch can be carried out for 2 minutes each.
When treating local caries at the white spot stage, an area with a radius of 2 mm around the lesion is etched. If there are large white spots, such as after braces have been removed, the entire smooth surface should be etched and treated at the physician's discretion.

Indications

Treatment of caries using the infiltration method can be used in the following cases:

Removing braces. In this case, chalky spots appear on the teeth at the places where the braces are attached. The Icon technique stops the progression of the disease and preserves the integrity of the enamel.
Initial stage of caries. The infiltration method allows not only to eliminate the affected tissue, but also to lighten the enamel.
Caries damage in hard-to-reach places. The composition is able to penetrate into the interdental spaces.
Childhood or pregnancy. The treatment process itself does not cause pain and does not cause harm to health, which allows it to be used to treat children, pregnant women and patients with contraindications to anesthetic drugs.

Let's find out together what a dentist surgeon does and what problem you need to contact him with.

Read here about methods of dental prosthetics without grinding.

At this address https://www.vash-dentist.ru/lechenie/zubyi/nekarioznyie-porazheniya-u-cheloveka.html we will talk about non-carious lesions of hard dental tissues.

Recommendations for use

Treatment of proximal surfaces with Icon Kariesinfiltrant – approximal

Before treatment, clean the tooth being treated and adjacent teeth. After cleaning, remove all residues with a water jet. Apply rubber dam.
Insert one of the supplied spacer wedges into the space between the teeth. In order for the wedge to better enter the proximal part, its handle can be rotated at an angle. — For the necessary separation of the teeth, the wedges must be inserted to a sufficient depth of the interdental space. – To ensure successful treatment, the teeth must be separated by approx. at 50 µm. This can be done in stages: insert the wedge until you feel resistance. Wait 3-5 seconds, then gradually insert the wedge deeper until the widest part of the wedge sufficiently separates the teeth. — Leave the separating wedge in the proximal space throughout the procedure.
Screw the proximal tip onto the Etch syringe and insert the tip into the interdental space. In this case, the green side of the proximal nozzle should be directed towards the surface being treated. — The material comes out only from the green side of the film. Carefully! Improper use of Etch may cause pain to the patient. — Icon-Etch should only be used on enamel. Do not use on exposed dentin or filled areas.
Apply Etch with a small excess to the affected area. 1.5 - 2 turns of the piston approximately correspond to the required amount of material. Leave Etch on for 2 minutes. If necessary, remove large excess material. — The syringe is controlled with one hand.
Remove the application film from the interdental space. Suction off the Etch and rinse with water for at least 30 seconds. Then dry with dry air from an oil-free compressor.
Screw the tip (needle) onto the Dry syringe, apply the material with a slight excess to the affected area and leave to act for 30 seconds. Then dry with dry air from an oil-free compressor. — Do not apply Icon-Infiltrant under direct light from a dental light as this may cause premature polymerization of the material.
Screw the new proximal tip onto the Icon-Infiltrant syringe and insert the tip into the interdental space. In this case, the green side of the proximal nozzle should be directed towards the surface being treated. — The material exits only from the green side of the proximal nozzle.
Apply Icon-Infiltrant with a slight excess to the affected area. 1.5 - 2 turns of the piston approximately correspond to the required amount of material.
Leave Icon-Infiltrant to act for 3 minutes, adding material if necessary.
Remove the attachment from the interdental space. Remove excess material using dental floss.
Illuminate Icon-Infiltrant from all directions for at least 40 seconds.
Screw the new proximal tip onto the Icon-Infiltrant syringe and apply the material a second time (steps 7-8) and leave for 1 minute. Remove the attachment from the interdental space. Remove excess material using dental floss. Then illuminate the material from all sides for at least 40 seconds.
If the next affected area is treated during the same treatment session, repeat steps 1 to 12.
Remove the separating wedge and rubber dam. Surface polishing is carried out using strips.

Treatment of vestibular surfaces with Icon Kariesinfiltrant – vestibular

Before treatment, clean the tooth being treated and adjacent teeth. After cleaning, remove all residues with a water jet. Apply rubber dam.
Screw the smooth surface attachment onto the Etch syringe. Carefully! Improper use of Etch may cause pain to the patient. — Icon-Etch should only be used on enamel. Do not use on exposed dentin or filled areas.
By turning the plunger, carefully apply Icon-Etch with a slight excess to the affected area and leave to work for 2 minutes. If necessary, remove large excess material with a cotton swab. — The syringe is controlled with one hand. Note: If treatment of white spots is carried out later than 1-2 months after removal of braces, etching should be carried out twice. If the white spot is still visible after applying Icon-Dry, a third etching is recommended.
Remove by aspirating Etch and rinse with water for at least 30 seconds. Then dry with air from an oil-free compressor.
Screw the tip (needle) onto the Icon-Dry syringe, apply the material with a slight excess to the affected area and leave to act for 30 seconds. Then dry with dry air from an oil-free compressor. Note: When Icon-Dry is wetted, the whitish-matt color of the enamel will become less pronounced. If this does not happen, the etching process should be repeated a second and third time (two minutes each) and the surface of the teeth should be rinsed and dried again (step 3-5).
Screw the new vestibular attachment onto the Icon-Infiltrant syringe. — Do not apply Icon-Infiltrant under direct light from a dental light as this may cause premature polymerization of the material.
Rotate the plunger and apply Icon-Infiltrant in a slight excess to the etched surface.
Leave Icon-Infiltrant to act for 3 minutes. Remove excess material with a cotton swab and, if necessary, dental floss.
Illuminate Icon-Infiltrant for at least 40 seconds.
Screw a new vestibular attachment onto the Icon-Infiltrant syringe, apply the material a second time (steps 7-8) and leave for 1 minute. Remove excess material with a cotton swab and, if necessary, dental floss. Then shine for at least 40 seconds.
Remove rubber dam. Surface polishing is carried out using, for example, strips.

This is interesting: Types of local anesthesia in dentistry, methods of administration

Contraindications

Despite its safety and effectiveness, infiltration technology also has a number of contraindications. These include:

Late stages of the disease . In this case, the deep layers of dentin are affected, and the active substance is simply not able to have the proper effect. It is more advisable to resort to the classical method.
Children under 3 years of age. Due to the concentrated acids in the composition of the preparations, use on children under three years of age is not practiced. In addition, not every small patient will be able to sit through the entire procedure, fulfilling the dentist’s requests.
Individual intolerance to the elements of the drug. This phenomenon is rare, but if you are allergic to any component, the specialist will refuse to perform the procedure.

Cost of treatment using the Icon method

The use of the Ikon technique ensures peace of mind for the client. The cost of such treatment is higher than classical treatment, when a drill is used. The tooth tissue is preserved and its function is fully restored. No drill intervention or filling is required. In Moscow, the price for therapy using the Icon method is about 5,000 rubles per tooth. Consultation with a doctor is free in many dentists. If diagnostics are required, the final cost of treatment increases. Using the Ikon method, teeth are treated in one visit to the doctor. The cost of treatment depends on the number of teeth that need preparation.

Stages of treatment using the Icon method

Before the procedure, the doctor will conduct an examination to determine whether there are indications for the procedure. The treatment method has a positive effect only at the initial stage of the carious process, during the period when a whitish spot is detected on the enamel. Treatment occurs in several stages:

The doctor installs a rubber dam to protect the working field from saliva.
A gel is applied to the enamel, which has a certain exposure time.
The tooth is washed off the gel and dried.
The doctor uses infiltration to stop the spread of caries.
The tooth enamel is polished.

This technique is suitable for adults and children over 3 years of age. Since young patients are not able to sit in the dentist's chair for more than 20-30 minutes. The advantage of this method is that it is painless. There is no need to give an anesthetic injection.

Advantages of the method in the treatment of initial caries in children

Preservation of tissue due to the absence of a drill.
There is no anesthesia, as the process is painless.
In one visit you can treat your entire dentition. This will take the doctor about 40 minutes.
There are no contraindications for use, only for children under 3 years of age due to their restlessness.
Caries stops in the early stages, the pathological process does not progress.
First-class aesthetics.

Stages of implementation

Treatment using Icon technology takes no more than 20-25 minutes. The process itself is divided into preparation, pickling, drying and infiltration.

The procedure is carried out in the following sequence:

The dentist cleans the tooth surface from food debris and bacterial plaque.
Using a rubber dam (latex plate), the teeth are isolated from the mucous membrane.
Using medical wedges, the dentist slightly moves the teeth apart, allowing the drug to penetrate even the most inaccessible places.
An etching gel is applied to the area affected by caries. Leave for a few minutes.
The gel is washed off with a stream of water, and the tooth itself is dried with an air stream.
The first polymer is applied and illuminated with a lamp for 3 minutes. The second polymer closes the carious cavity and is kept under the lamp for a minute.

Why did a white bump appear on the gum, photos and recommendations for getting rid of it.

In this article we will look at why a taste of blood may appear in the mouth in the morning.

Follow the link https://www.vash-dentist.ru/krasota-i-uxod/zubnyie-shhetki/rvotnyiy-refleks-pri-chistke.html if you want to know how to get rid of the gag reflex when brushing your teeth.

Care

As a rule, after treatment you do not need to follow any special instructions. The basic rule is to stop smoking, drinking coffee and other coloring drinks or foods for 2 hours.

The dentist may also recommend that the patient come back in a few days to ensure the quality of the procedure.

Of course, it is necessary to carry out a number of mandatory hygiene measures familiar from childhood:

oral hygiene procedures twice a day, paying special attention to brushing your teeth in the evening;
use floss (dental floss) to remove food debris;
rinse your mouth after eating.

Forecast

Most patients note a positive result of treatment. However, this does not mean that the technology is a miracle of medicine and will save in all cases.

The deeper the carious lesion, the worse the result. This is due to the fact that during the etching process, not all dentin layers are reached.

Thus, if you already have an average degree of caries damage, you should not expect a Hollywood smile from the procedure, so as not to be disappointed with the result.

Alternatives

Until recently, there were only two ways to treat early caries - prevention through fluoride treatment and an invasive technique involving preparation and restoration of the affected tissue.

Undoubtedly, one of the analogues is classical preparation with filling with a composite material (installation of a filling), which involves the use of a drill.

There are also more modern methods, which, unfortunately, are not relevant in all cases.

For example, remineralization is carried out at the initial stages of disease development. This method involves restoring the mineral composition of the protective layer and removing deposits . This technique helps to compact the enamel and enhances its resistance to carious lesions .

There is also an ART method, where instead of a drill, excavators are used, which literally “scrape off” tissue affected by caries . Afterwards, the cavity is filled with glass ionomer cement, which releases fluoride into the tissue, thereby preventing the development of caries.

Pros and cons of caries infiltration using the Icon method

Today, various types of caries treatment without a drill are used in many advanced clinics - both in Russia and around the world. The popularity of Icon proves that infiltration is a reliable and successful technology. In many ways, this is true, but there are experts who have a rather cool attitude towards this technique, pointing out some disadvantages. Some of them do not recommend the use of technology even with the slightest damage to dentin.

Treatment of initial caries using the Icon system is a reliable and safe method.
Maximum preservation of tooth tissue and strengthening of enamel structure.
The patient does not feel pain and experiences discomfort.
For people who are afraid of drills and injections, the innovative treatment of caries with the Icon system will be an excellent alternative.
The procedure takes no more than half an hour.

Suitable only for eliminating initial forms of caries.
There is no 100% guarantee of protection against secondary caries (although this risk is minimal).
The technique is not practiced in all clinics.
If we consider the same clinical cases, then prices for Icon are on average 1,000 - 2,000 rubles higher than for installing a filling.

Dentists' opinions

Dentists have an ambivalent attitude towards infiltration treatment. Some believe that this procedure is effective and necessary in modern dentistry.

Other experts consider it an ineffective and unnecessary technique, remaining adherents of classical methods of treatment.

Pediatric dentists have a special relationship with Icon technology, arguing for its effectiveness, ease of use, and the absence of any pain in children.

In addition, the gentle method will allow children in the future not to feel afraid of visiting the dentist’s office.

In the video, a specialist answers frequently asked questions regarding Icon dental treatment technology.

Patient reviews

Many patients have already appreciated the painless treatment using Icon technology, drawing conclusions about the effectiveness of the technique.

Have you or your relatives also already appreciated the innovative method of caries treatment? In the comments to this article, you can always share your opinion and tell our readers about the effectiveness of the procedure.

If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl+Enter.

Tags: toothache, caries

Did you like the article? stay tuned

Features of the use of Ultracain in dentistry - detailed instructions

3i Biomet implants – quality, reliability, durability