Laser Therapy

You’ve likely heard of LASIK laser surgery for people’s eyes. Now there is a laser technique, which can have a similarly positive impact on your gums.

Our Periodontal Laser Therapy treatment with the new Waterlase® MD offers people suffering from gum disease a better alternative to traditional gum surgery.

A laser is an instrument that produces a very narrow intense beam of light energy. When laser light comes in contact with tissue, it produces a reaction. The beam of light produced by the laser has the ability to remove infected soft tissues in a periodontal pocket and vaporize the bacteria in a noninvasive manner. The aspect of laser assisted surgery that most people appreciate is its comfort.

Laser Therapy is a fast, minimally invasive remedy for gum disease available from Precision Periodontics and Implant Dentistry. The treatment is a much more patient-friendly alternative to traditional gum surgery for the following reasons:

• Due to its conservative, gentle cutting action and coagulating capabilities, the Waterlase® performs many soft tissue (gum) procedures with little or no bleeding and less post-op swelling.
  
  
• It provides significantly reduced recovery time, excellent clinical results and few post-operative complications.
  
  
• Periodontal laser therapy is appropriate for patients who are not good candidates for surgery. This includes people who are diabetic, pregnant or taking medications such as Aspirin, Coumadin or Cyclosporine.
  
  
• Other advantages include reduced time in dentist's office, no noise (like a traditional dentist's drill), a more sterilized environment (dental laser kills bacteria) and for the treatment of canker sores and herpes lesions, the laser can actually decrease the pain experienced by these sores.
  

During a treatment it is also common for the patient to wear protective glasses to protect his/her eyes from continued exposure to bright light. The laser emits a tiny ticking sound-a far cry from the days of traditional dental drills. However, keep in mind that a laser might not be appropriate for all procedures. Today, many dental services can be performed with either the laser or traditional treatment, and are generally covered by most insurance plans. Dr. Lauer will be able to determine whether or not laser dentistry is right for you.