White Spot Treatment/ICON TherapyTreatment for White Spots on Front Teeth

What Are White Spots?

White spots refer to areas of discoloration on the surface of the front teeth. Some people are born with these white spots on their permanent front teeth, which can cause aesthetic concerns.

Some dental clinics may recommend “monitoring over time” or “removing the spots by drilling.” However, at our clinic, we specialize in no-drill white spot treatment using ICON as one of our key treatment options. Patients from all over Japan, from Hokkaido to Kagoshima, come to our clinic for this treatment.

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What Is ICON Treatment?

ICON treatment is a no-drill method for treating white spots on front teeth by infiltrating a special solution. This treatment is not only effective for white spots but also for brown spots and yellow spots (yellow to skin-toned patterns) on the tooth surface.

ICON treatment was first introduced globally around 2009 and came to Japan around 2010. It is relatively a new treatment.

Benefits

• No anesthesia is required and painless.
• Works on enamel and reduces tooth sensitivity.
• No drilling required, unlike direct bonding.
• Noticeable results in just one session.

Disadvantages

• Not all teeth are suitable for the treatment.
• In some cases, more grinding of the surface is required and leads to slight indentations.
• Color may not fully blend with the natural tooth color.
• It is not covered by insurance and cost for a private treatment

Are There Any Risks with ICON Treatment?

Surface Indentations

As part of the treatment, the tooth surface will be gently ground. In order to allow the solution to infiltrate, it is necessary to grind the barrier-like outer layer of the white spot.
If this layer is thick, it may result in slight indentations on the tooth surface (0.7~0.8 mm).

Color Matching Issues

Even if the solution infiltrates the tooth, there may be cases where it does not blend perfectly with your natural tooth color, making the boundary between the treated and untreated areas more noticeable.

Limited Long-Term Prognosis Data

Since ICON treatment was introduced only about 14 years ago, there is limited data on long-term prognosis over 20-30 years or potential complications compared to other treatments.
However, in cases we have followed for around 6 years, no issues such as discoloration have been observed. Additionally, our clinic closely collaborates with the manufacturer, DMG in Germany, and the distributor in Japan, Yoshida Co., Ltd., to ensure patient safety.

If any of these risks occur, we can offer direct bonding as an additional procedure, at your request, to correct any surface indentations or improve color matching.

More on direct bonding

Icon Treatment Process for White Spot Removal

For Patients Able to Visit Our Clinic

• 1st Visit

Initial consultation, intraoral photography, detailed oral examination, and impression taking for home whitening tray.

• 2nd Visit

Teeth cleaning, and provision of whitening mouthpiece and gel.

• 3rd Visit

Progress check after two weeks (for white spots); if the condition is stable, ICON treatment will be performed.
Progress check after 2-4 weeks (for brown/yellow spots); if the condition is stable, ICON treatment will be performed.

For Patients Traveling from Distant Locations (One-Visit Treatment)

• Initial consultation and medical history review

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• Intraoral examination

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• Teeth cleaning

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• In-office whitening

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• ICON treatment

This entire process will be completed in one day. Please ensure you have sufficient time and make an appointment accordingly.

For Patients Traveling from Distant Locations (One-Visit Treatment with Ongoing Maintenance by a Local Dentist)

• Cleaning and home whitening at your local dentist

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• Complete home whitening

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• Initial consultation and medical history review on the day of your appointment

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• Intraoral examination

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• ICON treatment

* We highly recommend completing home whitening prior to ICON treatment to maximize its effectiveness. If home whitening is difficult, in-office whitening can be performed. Please consult us for more details.

FAQ

Is it true that I cannot do whitening after ICON treatment?

Whitening is not affected by ICON treatment. You can proceed with whitening safely.

Will the white spots come back?

In some cases, the areas where the ICON solution did not fully penetrate may revert. However, additional ICON treatments can restore the appearance.

Can my front teeth be treated with ICON?

Many patients are satisfied with the results. However, the success of the treatment depends on the condition of the white spots and the surface of your teeth. Please consult with us first.

How often can treatment be done without grinding?

This varies greatly depending on the condition of your intraoral and teeth. Please consult with us first.

Another clinic said my white spots could not be treated. Can you help?

We welcome patients with difficult cases, including those who were told treatment was not possible or had unsuccessful results elsewhere. We often receive referrals from dental professionals and other clinics. If you are having concerns about white spots, please feel free to consult with us.