Laser Dentistry

Dental lasers are used to perform many dental procedures. Laser dentistry incorporates minimally invasive procedures allowing for treatment of highly specific areas of focus without damaging surrounding tissues. If you consider yourself somewhat of an anxious dental patient and are seeking extreme safety and comfort, you will probably benefit from any treatment that can be done with a laser; precise treatment that is performed with a laser may minimize both discomfort and recovery time. You will find that you feel more comfortable and will experience less anxiety during your treatments.

What Are the Benefits of Laser Dentistry?

• Procedures performed on soft tissues, e.g., the gums or tongue, usually do not require sutures (stitches)
• Certain procedures do not require anesthesia
• Bleeding is minimized because the high-energy light beam aids in the clotting (coagulation) of exposed blood vessels
• Bacterial infections are minimized because the high-energy beam sterilizes the area being worked on
• Damage to surrounding tissue is minimized
• Wounds heal faster and tissues can be regenerated

Laser Dentistry Procedures

At Central Park West Dental, virtually all of the procedures we perform with a dental laser involve the soft tissues of the mouth, which includes treatment of the gums, insides of the cheeks, the lips, the tongue, and the palate.

Crown Lengthening

Dental lasers can reshape gum tissue (soft tissue laser) and bone (hard tissue laser) to expose healthier tooth structure. Referred to as "crown lengthening," such reshaping provides a stronger foundation for the placement of restorations, such as crowns.

• Gummy Smile: Dental lasers can reshape gum tissue to expose healthy tooth structure and improve the appearance of a gummy smile.
• Muscle Attachment (Frenula): A laser frenectomy is an ideal treatment option for children and adults who are tongue-tied (restricted or tight frenulum) and babies unable to breast-feed adequately due to limited tongue movement. A laser frenectomy may also help to eliminate speech impediments.
• Soft Tissue Folds (Epulis): Dental lasers may be used for the painless and suture-free removal of soft tissue folds often caused by ill-fitting dentures.
• Benign Tumors: Dental lasers may be used for the painless and suture-free removal of benign tumors from the gums, palate, sides of cheeks, lips, and tongue.
• Canker Sores: Dental lasers reduce the pain associated with canker sores and minimize their healing time.
• Tooth Sensitivity: Dental lasers may be used to seal tubules (located in the root of the tooth) that are responsible for hot and cold tooth sensitivity.