With so many advancements in dental technology, you have a wide range of options to care for your dental needs. Gone are the days of outdated equipment and time-consuming procedures; today’s modern dentistry boasts technological advancements such as intraoral cameras to help us during procedures, 3-D printers to create same-day dental crowns, 3-D cone beam tomography for dental implants, digital x-rays to aid in diagnosing dental conditions, and digital impressions to give us a more accurate mold for creating dental restorations.
In addition, many dentists now offer laser dentistry for gum tissue reshaping, advanced periodontal treatment, and frenectomies. Here’s a look at how laser dentistry at Golden Coast Dental Care can help you achieve your best oral health.
What Is Laser Dentistry?
Laser dentistry is quickly becoming popular for a variety of dental treatments. Using a laser allows dentists and periodontists to kill bacteria less invasively with quicker recovery times.
Here’s how laser dentistry works: Lasers use pulses of energy to stimulate molecules and optics to increase or decrease the laser beam’s intensity to achieve the precision necessary for delicate dental procedures. This laser beam then destroys bacteria and essentially stops it from accumulating.
Because laser dentistry is minimally invasive, your dentist can remove less tissue from the affected site. This results in less bleeding and pain for the patient, which leads to a shorter recovery time and fewer incidents of infection.
When used in gum surgery, laser dentistry can kill bacteria beneath the patient’s gumline without harming the healthy mouth tissue.
What Types of Dental Lasers Are Used?
There are two different types of dental lasers that dentists and periodontists use for treatment procedures:
Soft tissue lasers – This type of laser is used for the soft tissues in the mouth, like your gums.
Hard tissue lasers – This type of laser is used for the hard tissues in the mouth, like your teeth.
Are Dental Lasers Safe?
The answer is yes! The U.S. Food and Drug Administration deems lasers sold in the United States safe for use by your dental professional. In addition, your dentist or periodontist must receive special training to provide laser dental treatment. You will also wear protective glasses if you receive a laser dentistry procedure; this will add an additional layer of protection for you.
What Types of Laser Dentistry Are Available?
When you visit Golden Coast Dental Care, you can expect our caring and compassionate staff to put you at ease and answer all your questions concerning laser dentistry. If you are a candidate for a laser dentistry procedure, we will discuss the details with you and make sure you understand your treatment plan process, as well as the timeline for the procedure. We are proud to offer the following laser dentistry options for your oral health and well-being:
Gum tissue reshaping – As a result of either poor hygiene or genetics, certain patients have poorly-shaped gum tissue. For some, this is strictly cosmetic, but for others, gum sensitivity becomes an issue that you may want to correct. Using a laser, your dentist can reshape your gums without causing them to become red and inflamed, and they will bleed much less than if traditional gum shaping methods are used.
Advanced periodontal treatment – If you suffer from gum disease, your periodontist can use a laser around your tooth’s root to remove the affected gum tissue. In addition, they will then work to remove any buildup of plaque and tartar that has developed at the gumline before smoothing out your tooth. This gum disease treatment can help you save your teeth.
Frenectomies – This laser procedure focuses on helping children who have either ankyloglossia (tongue-tie) and/or a lip-tie to allow for a better range of motion that helps with breastfeeding, tooth decay, or speech issues. This procedure results in minor discomfort and almost no bleeding; the periodontist will use a soft tissue laser to correct the concern. Because the laser sterilizes the site on contact, there is very little chance of infection, and healing time is minimal.
Is Laser Dentistry Used for Other Dental Concerns?
In addition to the above-mentioned procedures, laser dentistry can be used in the following ways:
- To remove tissue around a wisdom tooth
- To remove bone tissue
- To remove gum tissue
- To speed up professional teeth whitening
- To reduce cold sore discomfort
- To remove tooth enamel
- To prepare tooth enamel for dental bonding
- To repair fillings
Are You Looking for a Periodontist or Dentist in Long Beach, CA?
If you want expert periodontal care and you live in the Long Beach, CA, area, Golden Coast Dental Care is a fantastic option for you. Our professional team uses state-of-the-art equipment to provide you with the latest dental treatments. Please get in touch with our office at (562) 421-8401 if you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment.
We look forward to hearing from you!