What are these white spots?
The white spots appearing on the teeth are signs of fluorosis. They develop as a result of excessive fluoride intake during the first 8 years of our lives. These are indeed the years when most of our permanent teeth are formed.
Therefore, white spots appearing on teeth are very important indicators from a paediatric dentistry perspective. If possible, we should strive to prevent them, and tailor children's dental hygiene advice and paediatric dental treatments accordingly.
Exposure to large amounts of fluoride can cause white spots to appear on the affected teeth, or they may become discoloured. In some cases, it's just a faint white spot that only a dentist will notice, but in other cases, there can be yellowish or brownish spots, surface irregularities, and noticeable pits in the enamel.
Fluorosis prevention
Parental supervision is the key step in preventing the development of fluorosis. It is important to be aware of the fluoride content of the drinks our children consume. Fluoride can be found in fruit juice, mineral water, or any soft drink. Based on this, we must decide what toothpaste and mouthwash to give our child.
It is recommended to use toothpaste and mouthwash with low fluoride content, and for younger children, it is recommended to store these where they cannot be accessed by them.
The pleasant taste of children's toothpaste and mouthwash can encourage children to swallow it. Swallowing such preparations can cause nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, in addition to the development of fluorosis.
For children under six years old, use only a pea-sized amount of toothpaste on the toothbrush and teach them to always spit out the toothpaste. We can also prevent the consumption of toothpaste as a snack by using toothpastes with less intense flavours.
How long will the white spots remain?
White spots and discolouration caused by fluorosis on teeth are permanent aesthetic defects.
Fluorosis can often be observed on adult teeth as well, meaning whitish or brownish, rusty discolourations on the teeth. These spots develop in our childhood and do not disappear later on.
Therefore, it is of paramount importance to seek help from our paediatric dentist and dental hygienists in good time, during childhood.
The treatment of fluorosis
The question arises, if they never disappear on their own, then how can we get rid of them?
In many cases, fluorosis is so minimal – or only affects the back teeth – that no treatment is necessary.
However, the clearly visible white spots require treatment. Numerous techniques are available for their removal, which can include:
Teeth whitening to remove discolouration
„Bonding”, or the application of a light-curing material, which provides a strong protective layer, thereby protecting the enamel
the treatment of teeth with ultra-thin ceramic veneers or crowns to restore aesthetics
iCon treatment without drilling
The iCon treatment
In ICON treatment, the tooth surface is restored without drilling or loss of tooth structure. Thanks to this innovative concept, white spots on teeth can be eliminated, enamel stains removed completely painlessly, and initial tooth decay successfully halted!
For icon treatment, a low-viscosity infiltrant resin is applied, which, through capillary action, penetrates deeply into the enamel and thus fills the lesion. This is then illuminated with a polymerisation lamp, during which the material hardens. The mechanical and optical properties of this material are extremely similar to those of healthy tooth enamel.
The benefits of iCon treatment
Painless treatment
One-time
Extremely fast treatment
Applicable immediately during the survey
Spectacular treatment
How long does it take to remove white spots from teeth?
For minor changes, icon treatment without drilling and material loss can take as little as 15 minutes. For larger changes and treatment of multiple teeth, this process can take up to an hour.
Does the ICON treatment provide a long-term solution for white spots?
Adhering to the professional steps of icon management provides a long-term solution and is completely safe.
We welcome you in our practice!
If you have questions, or have personally experienced signs of fluorosis and wish to permanently remove the white spots from your teeth, please seek the assistance of our dentists and dental hygienists. The experienced, well-prepared, caring, and always cheerful members of our team will be happy to assist you too, with their complete expertise, up-to-date knowledge, care, and full attention.
