Laser Dentistry – Denver, CO

Benefits of Laser Dentistry

• Extreme Precision: With the laser, we’re able to solely focus on the area of the mouth that needs to be treated and not affect the surrounding healthy tissue like more traditional methods. This makes procedures much less invasive, plus it helps a patient have a smooth and easy recovery as well.
• Practically Painless: The laser is extremely gentle, creating very little heat, sound, or vibration while it works. This makes any procedure very comfortable for a patient, and many don’t even need local anesthesia to stay completely relaxed.
• Speed: Compared to traditional methods, procedures with the laser only take a fraction of the time, plus they require little to no recovery period afterward.

Treatment for Cold Sores

Cold sores tend to pop up on the lips when people are stressed, and the options to treat them used to involve either taking a pill or simply letting one go away over the course of a week. However, with the laser, we can now help a patient get rid of a cold sore in just one day. We simply apply the laser directly to the sore, and this will kill the underlying virus, causing it to disappear in no time.

Treatment for Gum Disease

Gum disease is a bacterial infection that forms deep below the gum line, causing irritation and damage to the soft tissues. This bacteria can be pretty hard to reach with traditional instruments, but it’s easy work for the laser. We simply aim the laser at the infected area, and it can literally vaporize harmful bacteria in a matter of seconds. Even better, it can do this without affecting the surrounding healthy gums, meaning a patient shouldn’t have any lingering discomfort after treatment.

Removal of Fibromas

Fibromas are small and benign growths of soft tissue that can develop in the mouth, and they are typically brought on by irritation in the area. Instead of having to cut them out with a scalpel like in the past, laser dentistry now makes their removal easier than ever. The laser is actually able to cauterize the tissue in the area as it works, so there is little to no bleeding during this procedure, and we likely won’t have to place sutures as well.

Exposure of Unerupted & Partially Erupted Teeth

Most of the time, the teeth are able to erupt through the gums without issue, but it’s common for some to need a little help. A tooth can become “stuck” because of the angle it’s trying to come in or due to teeth crowding around it. This can result in a gap in the smile as well as oral pain. Partially erupted teeth can also create a flap in the gums that can easily trap plaque and bacteria, making the tooth more likely to develop decay or an infection.

With our diode laser, we can easily remove any soft tissue that is obstructing the path of a tooth. Thanks to its precision, it’s able to accomplish this without causing pain or inflammation in the surrounding area, making this a very comfortable procedure. We can then allow a tooth to come in naturally or remove it if necessary.

Soft Tissue Crown Lengthening

A tooth can often become damaged below the gum line, and in order to repair it, the surrounding soft tissue needs to be removed to expose more of the crown. We can accomplish this with our diode laser in almost no time. With more of the tooth showing, we can then fix any cracks or decay and securely fit a patient with a dental restoration, whether that be a crown or porcelain veneer.

This procedure can also be used to cosmetically elongate the teeth to improve a “gummy” smile and give someone a more proportioned appearance. Using the laser, we can simply remove excess gum tissue to expose previously hidden dental structure, and then we can reshape the gum line along the teeth to give the smile the perfect frame. Usually, this kind of procedure can be completed in just one appointment.

Operculectomy

An operculectomy is a procedure used to remove a flap of gum tissue that partially covers a tooth, known as an operculum. This kind of tissue can often become quite inflamed and painful, and they typically form in people whose wisdom teeth are starting to erupt.

After administering local anesthesia, we can aim our diode laser’s focused beam of light directly at an operculum. Using small pulses, the tissue will quickly shrink and basically disintegrate. The procedure itself usually only takes a few minutes, and the treatment site doesn’t even require any sutures or dressing to heal on its own.

A laser operculectomy is a simple and safe procedure with a very high rate of success. Patients usually experience immediate relief from pain and discomfort, and afterward, they will find it much easier to keep this area of the mouth clean.

Reduction of Denture Hyperplasia

Denture hyperplasia is usually the result of a patient wearing an ill-fitting denture for a long time. The areas of the mouth in contact with the denture become irritated, and eventually, small, pale, and firm growths called granulomas start to form. These are benign the majority of the time, but they can cause quite a bit of discomfort and pain in the mouth.

To correct this issue, we can first use the diode laser to shrink and remove any growths located around the mouth. Then, our goal will be to address the root cause of the issue: the denture itself. We may be able to adjust a patient’s denture so that it fits better, or we might recommend that they have a new one made so they can avoid this problem in the future. As easy as the laser procedure is, patients certainly don’t want to have to get it multiple times!