St Lawrence Dentistry can now stop small cavities without the use of the dental drill.
This exciting process is called Resin Infiltration and Dr. Hawryluk Jr. uses this method for little cavities in between teeth. The product used to accomplish this process is called ICON which stands for infiltration concept. Resin infiltration is where the lost tooth structure is replaced by infiltrating a fluid resin.
Demineralization is this process that breaks down tooth structure, and hence your tooth is protected from further breakdown. It is so novel because it does not require anesthesia or drilling on your tooth. If the filling is in a visible area, you will not see the filling place because the resin added to your tooth has the same refractive properties as your tooth. It amazingly blends in perfectly.
During a cavity formation, an acid attack on a tooth causes calcium and phosphate leaching from the hydroxyapatite layer of a tooth. This causes white spots and demineralization of teeth. Eventually, this leads to cavitation or cavity in a tooth. Icon works at this beginning incipient demineralized stage before they become full-blown deep cavities.
Our goal at St Lawrence Dentistry is to prevent cavities in the first place. Dr. Hawryluk has solutions to remineralize your teeth and prevent dental decay. There are brushing tools, diet modifications, high fluoride toothpaste, and products containing calcium and phosphate. Chlorhexidine rinses, fluoride gels, and varnishes can all help. In particular, if our patients are at high risk of developing cavities, we may recommend a fluoride varnish of 22,600ppm every 3-4 months. Peer-reviewed studies show this to be of significant benefit. Fluoride works because it changes the critical pH of the enamel. Hydroxyapatite is the main component of enamel, and it will start to demineralize at a pH of 5.5. However, exposure to frequent fluoride allows enamel to form fluorapatite crystals, which protect against demineralization. Enamel will only start dissolving at a pH of 4.5 in the presence of fluorapatite. In other words, in acidic attacks, teeth dissolution slows after exposure to fluoride. Combining preventative strategies with the ICON system means Dr. Hawryluk can help keep dental treatment non-invasive and conservative.
Both adults and children can benefit from this groundbreaking technique. The first step in treating tooth breakdown with ICON is applying a conditioner which opens porosities in the affected area. Following this, it is completely dried out by ICON Dry which is composed of ethanol. Drying creates the environment needed for the infiltrate to flow into the tooth by capillary action. For cavities in between teeth, Dr. Hawryluk will need to make room to get the material in this confined area. Sometimes we may need to place something in between the teeth called an orthodontic separator for a few days, so the teeth are temporarily apart. Dr. Hawryluk will put a foil in between the teeth, which has porosities on one side. Initially, the application of the resin is for three full minutes. Due to the high penetration coefficient it will flow into the affected area. We will carefully monitor your teeth in the years to come to ensure that no further breakdown occurs.
The future is now for drill-free repairing of teeth! St Lawrence Dentistry’s location is in the Port Credit district of Mississauga. We have plenty of free parking and have convenient Saturday hours. If you are looking for a new Mississauga Dentist, we welcome you to call our office to find out more about this revolutionary treatment approach.
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