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Enamel Microabrasion

Enamel microabrasion is a gentle etching of the surface of the enamel followed by a gentle abrasion with pumice. Enamel microabrasion can be repeated over a number of cycles until the desired white spot has disappeared.

What are the White Spots on my Teeth?


Enamel is made up of individual crystals. When disturbances occur in enamel formation water and protein is retained in the enamel which changes the reflection of light and results in white spots and brown spots in the enamel. Sometimes the enamel is indented, pitted or deformed.

There are different types of white spots:


Mild, Moderate and Severe Enamel Fluorosis

This is due to consumption of too much fluoride supplementation
It appears as small white flecks mostly near the tips of the teeth and also more opaque enamel
In moderate fluorosis we see more intense white spots and also porosity in the enamel which lets in brown stains
In severe fluorosis we see severe white spots but also areas of enamel breaking away and deeper brown staining.

Enamel Hypomineralization

These white spot defects are more defined and affect few teeth
The cause is generally high fevers during enamel formation phases in childhood

Enamel Hypoplasia

This appears as white spots but the enamel is pitted or grooved
This occurs with more severe childhood illness, infection and treatments (eg:chemotherapy)
It tends to occur on several teeth depending on the stage of development of the teeth at the time, giving a banded or stepped appearance.

White Spot Carious Enamel Lesion

Dental plaque produces acid in an effort to create a cavity in the tooth. The acid replaces the enamel crystals with water. The water scatters the light and creates white marks.
These are typically seen where plaque accumulates and around orthodontic brackets.

White Spots from Over Bleaching

Excess bleaching can result in the destruction of enamel proteins and their replacement by water resulting in white opaque spots on the teeth.

Enamel MicroAbrasion and GC Tooth mousse treatment can be successfully used to fix the white spot appearance of the enamel.

Enamel microabrasion is a gentle etching of the surface of the enamel followed by a gentle abrasion with pumice. Enamel microabrasion can be repeated over a number of cycles until the desired white spot has disappeared.

GC Tooth Mousse is then applied to the surface to enable a regeneration of the subsurface enamel structure. GC Tooth Mousse applied every night for 2 weeks at home will continue the repair process and remove the white spot.

Our Brisbane Dentist here in Spring Hill has had fantastic results with Enamel Microabrasion and White Spot treatment:

“Enamel Microabrasion is very successful in mild and moderate cases. In combination with whitening it can create an incredible change. Where the white spots become more severe, enamel microabrasion and enamel repair can still be very successful but may take more cycles.” – Dr Barbara Szylkarski

In severe cases conservative white filling material can be placed to repair defects or to cover white spots that did not responded to the microabrasion.

Get in touch or read about an enamel microabrasion case study – creating a smile for her big 50th

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