Let’s be frank: a lot of people are afraid of the dentist. And there’s a good chance that you might be one of them. So, you probably can relate to the most common things that people say trigger them, like the smell, the sound of the drill, and needles (aka shots).
But what if your trip to the dentist didn’t need to include any of those?
Since we get that experience is everything we do, we offer our patients laser dentistry in our office! If you’re afraid of needles, aka shots, you’re going to love what we have to tell you about our dental lasers!
What Are Dental Lasers?
From the time that lasers came into existence in the 1960s, dentists were curious as to how these beams of light might benefit their patients.
Initially, lasers were much too strong to be used in dentistry, but now dental lasers have been refined to do some pretty amazing things.
They are essentially small instruments that use a beam of light energy to do a variety of things — like reducing hypersensitivity, removing tooth decay, improving gum disease (aka periodontal disease), and they can even whiten teeth!
What makes them so appealing to our patients who have dental anxiety is that they eliminate the need for drills and shots.
When laser technology is combined with a topical anesthetic to replace dental instruments (like shots and drills), it allows our dentist, Dr. James Powell, to better control your treatment experience.
Using lasers help to lower your anxiety levels help you feel more relaxed in the chair, and give you a more spa-like experience. Particularly, when you also take advantage of our complimentary aromatherapy and moisturizing paraffin hand treatments!
Dental Lasers Benefits
When Dr. Powell treats cavities with a laser instead of a drill, you’ll only hear gentle popping sounds rather than the loud vibrating noises that drills typically emit. Drills also leave you with micro-fractures in the teeth, something you won’t see with the gentle action of lasers.
Using dental lasers not only eliminates some of the “scary” stuff, but it also makes your visit quicker and you a lot more comfortable (both during your visit and after).
Because lasers are bactericidal, they seal the lymphatic structures, nerve endings and blood vessels for faster healing, minimal swelling and bleeding, and reduces the chances of infection. This also protects your general health and boosts your immune system as fewer bacteria are around to travel through your bloodstream and attack vital organs.
These technological marvels promote healing as they are tissue-specific and can be used to treat hard tissues like dental filling preparation and cavity prevention to treat problems in the teeth or bone and soft tissue procedures like gum reshaping and stimulating the soft palate.
But one of the most impressive things that a laser can do is help prevent cavities from forming! Specific lasers can alter the chemical composition of the tooth enamel, making it stronger. When combined with fluoride varnish, teeth are able to remineralize (aka reverse a cavity)!
Laser Dentistry Gently Addresses These Problems
- Small cavities: remove decayed tissue, prepare the tooth for the filling material, seal nerve endings and anesthetize tissue.
- Gummy smiles: reshape gums to give you a more attractive and natural-looking smile.
- Root canal infections: remove harmful bacteria from root canals to keep them clean and sterile.
- Cancer concerns: lasers can aid in doing a biopsy (removing a tiny bit of tissue from your mouth) to analyze it for oral cancer.
- Lesion removal: remove oral lesions, mucocele and they can even relieve canker sore pain.
- Yellow teeth that are too sensitive for teeth whitening: activate a tooth whitening gel to whiten teeth and control sensitivity by treating each tooth individually.
Because we have a few different lasers in our office we’re not only able to treat your teeth but we’re also able to provide services that promote healthy mouth tissue without the need for surgery.
Gum Disease Treatment – lasers gently work under the gums to kill harmful bacteria in the pockets of your gums. By cleaning and sterilizing the deep pockets, the laser stimulates healthy gum tissue to reattach to the tooth and even stimulate bone growth to lessen the pocket depth, all with minimal pain and faster healing.
Mucocele Removal – lasers safely remove these small oral cysts that arise from salivary gland blockages, biting your lips or cheeks, or tissue irritation from nearby oral piercings or teeth.
Soft-Palate Stimulation – lasers stimulate and tighten the tissues of the soft palate to reduce snoring vibrations when the oral mucosa tissues collapse or simply worsen with age. The laser stimulates the collagen fiber production and the good news is, this treatment can keep you from having to turn to CPAP masks, snore pillows or snore guards.
Enjoy Laser Dentistry for a Spa Experience
At Exceptional Dentistry your comfort and care is our highest priority. When you come to see us you can enjoy the relaxation and health benefits of laser treatments.
To schedule your next visit with an exceptional dentist in the Palmdale, California, area, we welcome you to call (661) 349-7725 or simply schedule a dental visit online. We look forward to giving you the exceptional dental care you deserve!
