Microabrasion
At Children’s Dentistry, we offer two cutting-edge techniques which improve the appearance and condition of permanent front teeth affected by enamel defects. These include enamel microabrasion and Icon resin infiltration. Both techniques offer numerous benefits including the following:
- safe, pain-free and gentle approach
- involve nil or minimal drilling
- usually requires no local anaesthetic ie. no needles or numb feeling
- minimally invasive and conservative ie. no unnecessary loss of healthy hard tissue
- prevents dental cavities at an early stage
- prevents deterioration/further tooth loss from the enamel defects
- fills in enamel porosities and cracks
- prevents further staining and discolouration
- preserves healthy tooth structure
- improves appearance
- strengthens the quality of affected teeth
- suitable interim treatment option for children where permanent options such as porcelain veneers are not recommended until growth is complete
Enamel microabrasion involves the application of an acid-abrasive gel to remove stains once the affected tooth/teeth are cleaned and isolated. The abrasive gel is applied with a special polishing brush and gentle pressure until the stained lesion gradually diminishes. The Icon resin infiltration procedure also incorporates the application of a resin infiltrate material following the etching procedure.
Both techniques may take one to three appointments, depending on the severity and number of teeth affected. Following enamel microabrasion, resin infiltration or tooth whitening procedures, home application of a remineralising cream such as GC Tooth Mousse is recommended for a period to enrich treated tooth enamel with calcium and phosphate minerals, for a beautiful post treatment sheen and so as to minimise postoperative sensitivity. Young children’s blotchy and chalky permanent front teeth can be treated quite safely with these techniques.
Success of enamel microabrasion and resin infiltration techniques
Enamel microabrasion whilst effective, cannot solve all tooth discolouration problems. For such patients, alternaive options may be suggested by our experienced clinicians. With this procedure, treatment of defects is limited to the outermost regions of the enamel surface and will only remove superficial enamel lesions successfully. However, even if enamel microabrasion fails to remove the stains completely, conservative treatment approaches such as this should always be considered first, prior to techniques which require more substantial amounts of enamel to be removed, especially in young children. Restorative treatments such as composite fillings or veneers may be the next step if microabrasion and dental bleaching are unable to achieve the desired result.
We may also recommend pre or post-treatment whitening/bleaching of the teeth and post-treatment of composite veneer restorations to achieve the optimal results and aesthetics. Both techniques serve as a good interim measure during childhood to enable children to have the confidence to maintain a healthy smile. In many cases, it serves as a temporary solution until they are old enough for more permanent cosmetic treatments. By using these techniques, we help boost your child’s confidence and encourage them to maintain good oral hygiene habits, ensuring a beautiful and healthy smile as they grow.