Laser Dentistry

Lasers are commonly being used in dentistry for surgical procedures. They use light that varies in wavelengths as their energy source and the “target” is the tissue that absorbs the light, which can be gingival, tooth decay or enamel, or whitening material. All these absorb a specific frequency (wavelength) of light, while reflecting the others. Your eyes will have to be protected so that no damage is done from the reflecting lasers. Dentists of all kinds and specialties have been using laser treatments in their clinical practices since it was approved by the FDA in 1990.

Benefits of Laser Dentistry

Less Discomfort- Lasers are much more precise when used in surgical procedures and thus bring about much less bleeding, stitches, and anesthetics.
Faster Healing- Your gums will quickly and reduce your healing time. Less time healing means less chance for bacteria to cause infection.
Reduced Presence of Bacteria - Riverpark Dental can also use lasers to blast away bacteria that live alongside and underneath the gum line. We may propose this treatment option to you after your dental hygiene appointment. It is also a pain-free procedure.

Your dental hygienist removes the plaque along your gum line, which then removes the bacteria that live in the plaque.

Having the laser procedure along the gum line will eliminate any traces of remaining bacteria left behind. This will further reduce inflammation and any possibility of gum disease developing.

Cosmetic Enhancement- Because laser dentistry is a surgical procedure, it can be used to cleave away excess gum tissue to expose the right amount of your teeth and enhance your smile. This is known as crown reshaping, gingivoectomy, or gum reshaping.
Canker and Cold Sores- Scientifically known as herpes simplex virus type 1, these sores are not pleasant to have and are constantly bothering you.

Laser treatment for cold sores is a much more viable treatment option than other methods such as antiviral medications. The medications come with many side effects that may disqualify you from using them, and which also may be unpleasant.
Creams and ointments are another viable treatment option for cold and canker sores.

Quicken the process of teeth whitening.
Dentures can cause irritating and troublesome folds in the mouth tissue, which can be removed with laser dentistry.
Aid with root canal procedures and other endodontics.
Benign tumours can be removed painlessly from the mouth’s soft tissues with dental lasers.
Biopsy- Lasers can be used to accurately analyze any tissue we are skeptical about in the mouth.
Tongue-Tie Release- A frenectomy involves releasing abnormal frenum attachments (attachments from the lip to the gingival tissue in unusual locations) with lasers and is commonly used when speech is impaired. This procedure does not involve an anesthetic or sutures.

Taking the laser therapy route in your dental treatment plan will ensure a quicker and more pleasant recovery. Evidence is beginning to show how laser treatment is becoming a more widely sought out treatment in a preventative care approach by preventing and minimizing any future outbreaks that do occur. Canker sores are the same thing as cold sores, with the only difference being that canker sores have a tendency of relapse and also form on different mouth tissues.

While we can treat canker sores with lasers in the same way we would treat cold sores, the treatment won’t prevent the cankers from returning or from coming back any less annoying.