Use of Dental Lasers to Treat Gum Disease: A gentle and precise treatment to restore gums
Laser dentistry plays a powerful role in precisely treating gum disease and supporting a positive experience at Smile in Style, Moonee Ponds, Victoria. Our dentist, Dr Terry Rose, is skilled at performing various laser-assisted dental procedures – including periodontal (gum) treatments.
Shedding light on laser treatment
Laser devices present a minimally invasive, efficient, precise, and painless alternative to conventional dental treatments. Instead of using aggressive, invasive, and uncomfortable cutting instruments like scalpels, Dr Rose directs a handheld laser instrument toward the treatment site. The laser itself does not make contact with the tissues. The energy generated from the laser beam goes to work to alter and otherwise treat oral tissues. Since this design and process are not invasive, laser-assisted dentistry has many benefits.
Generally, treatment:
- Is well-tolerated
- Does not require anesthetic because it is painless
- Minimises bleeding, discomfort, and other side effects during the procedure
- Is highly targeted (conservative and tissue-preserving)
- Supports a fast procedure – less time spent “chairside”
- Is low-risk, leaves surrounding tissues intact and untouched
- Does not require sutures or stitches
- Supports predictable and speedy recovery
- Encourages healthy, natural healing
- Is appropriate for many patients
- Offers a fear-free approach by eliminating common “triggers,” like scalpels, needles, and shots
Lasers for periodontal therapy
Patients with active gum disease and other gum-related problems can enjoy the many benefits listed above. Additionally, sophisticated laser systems by Fotona treat patients with inflammation and damage to the gums and supportive tissues by eradicating harmful bacteria. So, in addition to the above features, our use of high-performance lasers:
- Allows for disinfection deep into the tissues
- Is uniquely fast at painlessly removing infected tissues
- Removes stubborn plaque build-up from the root surfaces of the teeth
- Gently recontours an imbalanced gumline for patients with gingival overgrowth or cosmetic concerns over a “gummy” smile
Among those with more modest gingival inflammation, lasers can be applied to prevent infections and further damage to the gums and supportive tissues. As gum disease progresses, the gums pull away from the teeth. Spaces, or periodontal pockets, develop. These spaces encourage plaque formation. The deeper the pockets, the more severe the disease. We can halt the progress of this destructive condition by reducing the size of these pockets that form between the teeth and the gums.
For patients with severe periodontitis or advanced gum disease, lasers are a powerful regenerative tool to encourage healing and address lost periodontal tissues. Formerly, these patients were limited in their treatment options to uncomfortable, aggressive, and invasive surgical cutting procedures.
Find out more about what laser dentistry at Smile in Style can do for you. Our team in Moonee Ponds, VIC, can be reached on 03 8400 4104.
