THE FUTURE OF DENTISTRY
from Local Women Magazine april 2021At Portstewart Family Dental the team are fully trained in the use of lasers, which can be used for pain free treatment in all aspects of dentistry.
The use of lasers in dentistry may sound a bit like science fiction, but it’s actually scientific fact! Laser technology was first applied to dentistry in the early 1960s and has been gaining popularity ever since.
The best part of about dental lasers is that they don’t just have one application: lasers can be used in many aspects of dentistry, from diagnosis to treatment.
BENEFITS OF LASER DENTISTRY
You may now be able to have your dental procedure performed with a dental laser.
Here are more reasons why you may want to consider this procedure before you visit your dentist:
Less bleeding
Reduced pain
Faster healing period
Less damage to the surrounding tissue
Reduced chance of infection
LASERS CAN HELP RE-SHAPE YOUR GUMS
Gum reshaping or contouring (also called a gum lift) may be recommended for either medical or cosmetic reasons. One of the biggest blessings of lasers in dentistry is that they can replace scalpels. Instead of making cuts in the gums, dentists can use highly precise lasers to dissolve gum tissue instead.
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Because it cauterizes instead of cuts, gum shaping and removal with lasers can be more comfortable, reduce bleeding and speed up recovery time. Whether the treatment is to help exposure a partially erupted wisdom tooth which keeps getting infected or to reshape a piece of gum around a front tooth to make it more aesthetically pleasing, the laser makes this easy for both the patient and the dentist.
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LASERS CAN HELP TREAT GUM DISEASE
One of the symptoms of gum disease (a.k.a. periodontitis) is the formation of deep pockets between your teeth and gums. One of the treatments for chronic gum disease is scaling and root planing, where these pockets are cleaned and the root is smoothed out so your gums can re-adhere to them.
The addition of lasers to this process has been shown in studies to help gums re-attach to the tooth.
LASERS CAN HELP RELIEVE PAIN
The Epic line of diode lasers from BIOLASE provide a therapeutic and non-invasive way to treat pain in as little as ten minutes. Using a special handpiece attachment, our laser transforms from an award-winning surgical and whitening device to a fully capable solution for reducing and managing oral and maxillofacial pain, such as from grinding (bruxism) and clenching.
LASERS CAN BE USED TO TREAT TONGUE TIE AND HIGH FRENAL ATTACHMENTS
Removing muscle attachments that restrict tongue or lip movement. The surgery is less painful than when a scalpel is used, with less bleeding and faster healing. A high frenal attachment can lead to a gap in-between the two front teeth. When this is removed, the gap between these teeth can be closed using braces.
Lasers Can Be Used to Accelerate Tooth Whitening Procedures
Our laser enables us to perform tooth whitening procedures in under an hour.
Lasers Can be Used For Reducing The Discomfort From Cold Sores And Cankers. Cold sores can sometimes be very painful and unsightly. Although it is not possible to completely remove the virus that causes cold sores as it hides in the nerve ganglion, it is possible to reduce the pain and indeed the life span of a cold sore using the healing properties of our laser. The lesion also often heals with less scarring.
ARE DENTAL LASERS SAFE?
Before any dentist or hygienist can use a laser it is required that they undergo specifi c laser training. At Portstewart Family Dental both myself, Peter King and Tracey Watley our hygienist have completed all the necessary training, to ensure your treatment is completed to the highest safety standards and to obtain the optimal results. Lastly, wearing a pair of special glasses during the operation will give you that extra protection!
Overall, dental lasers offer more comfort, quicker healing and added effectiveness to most dental procedures.
Talk to your dentist to learn more about dental laser treatment.
Michele x