My Life-Changing Experience with ICON: A Painless and Affordable Way to Fix Tooth Decay

I recently had a dental exam, and it turned out I had cavities on four teeth. I was bummed because I already had a lot of fillings and wanted to get braces. But I had to redo my oral sanitation. If two teeth were treated with the classic method, the other two were suggested to be treated using the ICON technology. At the time, I had no idea what that was.

After doing some research, I agreed to try the ICON method. Firstly, the cavities were on the front teeth (11 and 12), and I didn't want to drill them. Secondly, I was told it would be cheaper than a filling. And since the cavities were only at the early stage, I didn't want to drill either.

The ICON method is a cutting-edge, minimally invasive technology in dentistry for treating early stages of cavities and aesthetic defects (white spots) without drilling or pain, by soaking the enamel with a special liquid polymer that stops the tooth's destruction and restores its structure.

After waiting for almost two months, the procedure finally took place. It started like a regular teeth cleaning: they applied a balm to my lips, put on a lip protector. Then the doctor said the procedure was painless, and they wouldn't need anesthesia, unless I had to tolerate the isolation. I'll describe it step by step below.

I have really close front teeth, and I had cavities on the side surfaces of both teeth, where they touch, and on the 11th tooth, which was in contact with the 21st. The dentist started by isolating them with a special instrument that increased the space between my teeth. It was super painful and uncomfortable, but I got used to it.Next, she cleaned the teeth that needed to be treated, just like during a regular cleaning.After that, she applied a substance that 'opens up' the pores on the enamel that were formed due to the cavities. This substance seeps into the enamel. You might need to apply it multiple times – I needed it three times. The dentist timed each application.This substance is then rinsed off. When rinsing, you might feel a sour taste in your mouth – I definitely did. You need to rinse until the sourness goes away, so let the dentist know if you still feel it.Next, she applied a spirit-based liquid, Icon-Dry, to dry out the affected area. It's applied and then dried with air.Then, she applied a final layer of a different substance, kind of like a resin. It's dried with an ultraviolet light to set it.Finally, the tooth is polished.The whole procedure felt a lot like a regular teeth cleaning, but like it was being done on individual teeth. The dentist also kept checking between my teeth with a thread. The procedure wasn't too long, about 30 minutes in total. In the area where I had the fillings, my gums were a bit bleeding, so they put on my favorite ointment, Metrogil Denta, and told me to apply it at home for three days to help my gums heal. I was also allowed to eat right away.

They also gave me a mirror to look at my teeth, and the dentist showed me where the white spots (which were actually light yellow) were. I couldn't see them at home, but now, if I take a closer look, I can see some of them on the photos (I circled them in red).

Before ICON procedureI didn't notice any results in a regular mirror, no matter how hard I tried. Especially considering they were in a hard-to-reach spot. Sorry for the unflattering photo - I barely managed to get a decent shot, but you can see a slightly inflamed gum and interdental papillae, plus the gums are smeared with ointment.

After ICON procedureBut in a mirror, with good lighting, when the wedges were in between my teeth, I could see them. The doctor also took two photos - before and after the procedure, and on the shots taken with a professional camera, it was visible too (too bad they didn't give me the photos).

I was told that in my case, everything turned out just perfect, 100%. Then I asked: what if it's not 100%? And the doctor replied: yes, it's not a 100% success rate for all patients. That's the only minus I can highlight from this procedure.

Other than that, it's all pluses:

It's cheaper than a filling (the other two teeth with re-treatment cost me 25,000 rubles, while these ones cost 13,000 - not the cheapest, but not the most expensive either in St. Petersburg).It's minimally invasive, no drilling required.It's quick.It's absolutely painless, only a slight discomfort during isolation, and then you don't feel anything at all. The most you'll feel is the taste of the medication when you rinse, and some specific smells from certain compositions.The procedure is only suitable for very early-stage cavities, so I recommend doing it as soon as you notice one, rather than waiting for drilling to become necessary. And yes, after this procedure, I was happy to be told that the sanitation is complete and I got the green light for getting my braces, which I'm really looking forward to, because the preparation took a long time. Let's see how long the ICON procedure will last - they say it's good for several years.

Here are the procedures I went through last year to prepare for getting my braces:

Professional oral hygiene - three times (they treated my gingivitis, plus I learned how to take care of my teeth at home).

My Oral Care Routine - a multi-step process I've been following

Removing impacted wisdom teeth - I had four, but I only wrote about two of them, and I still need to finish writing about the other pair - the results were pretty different.

Curing gum pockets - I had to see a periodontist about one tooth.

Wishing you all healthy teeth and the courage to actually visit your dentists on time!