Laser Dentistry

Lasers are used to correct vision, treat skin conditions, and perform surgery.  While dentistry has had lasers for 15 years, it was not until recently that a dental “Hard tissue” laser was perfected to be able to treat tooth decay.  NO NEEDLE, NO DRILL, NO DISCOMFORT!  They don’t make the sounds that can cause fear in most adults.  They make a mild popping sound, “Like a popcorn popper”, as they vaporize decay.

The laser puts the tooth to sleep just by focusing light and water on the tooth.  It then vaporizes the decay and sterilizes the remaining tooth structure.  A filling is then placed and the tooth is fixed.

Soft tissue dental lasers are used for treating problems of the gums and lining of the mouth.   This includes repositioning frenum pulls between the front teeth that keep them apart,  correcting “tongue ties”  and healing canker sores (apthous ulcers).  Please see the letter in this section from a mother of a child with canker sores who could not eat.  The laser painlessly took the discomfort away immediately and then healed the sore in 24 to 48 hours.  Tongue ties can keep children from speaking correctly, swallowing correctly, and can cause problems with the shape and size of the whole jaw.  All of these problems are easily repaired using a soft tissue “diode” laser. 

With braces some children have difficulty with gums overgrowing (hyperplasia).  Under this overhanging tissue is tooth structure that never gets clean and never gets exposed to fluoride.  Microscopically, food and bacteria get under this overgrown tissue and create a cavity or “pre-cavity”.  In the past this has been a sad fact of having braces.  Now, using our lasers, this overgrown, overhanging tissue can be removed and recontoured.  This allows the teeth to be fully cleaned and kept healthy until braces are removed.  Some orthodontists will remove braces if this condition persists.  With our laser treatment, braces are allowed to stay on and treatment doesn’t have to be interrupted. 

All ages of children and teens like the idea of no needle and no pain to have a cavity filled.  Our lasers do this every day!  A 3 year old patient recently came for her first cavity.  Her parents were concerned.  She sat on the chair and her mom sat near her.  Holding her lip back, we used the laser to remove the brown enamel of her tooth.  The suction was used to take away water.  She sat quietly while the gentle popping of the laser took decay away and killed all bacteria.  We then placed a tooth colored filling and polished it and she was done.  She smiled. Her mom smiled, and we all smiled as well. 

TREATMENT WITH THE LASER DOES NOT COST YOU MORE!

Whether it’s tooth decay, canker sores, tongue ties, overgrown gums, or “frenum” attachments that cause teeth not to properly grow together, our lasers can comfortably handle the problem.