How patients in Sunbury and Moonee Ponds, can benefit from laser dental treatment

The team at Smile in Style shares a common commitment to providing you and your family the best dental care possible. That is why we embrace the latest in dental technologies and have invested in state-of-the-art Fotona dental lasers for our Sunbury and Moonee Ponds, dental practices. The team at Smile In Style is extensively trained and experienced in the use of dental lasers and have been using them for more than a decade now.

How lasers are used in dentistry

Laser technology has been a part of dentistry for more than two decades, with an excellent record of safety and efficacy. These devices use the power of light energy to replace drills and scalpels. Applications include:

• Filling cavities – Decay is removed, and the tooth is prepared for a  filling with a laser, rather than a dental drill.
• Cosmetic dentistry – Lasers are used to prepare teeth for restorations, as well as to sculpt gum tissue.
• Periodontal therapy – Dental lasers are used to disinfect pockets around teeth and remove diseased tissue, allowing gums to heal and reattach.
• Root canal treatment – The procedure is faster and more comfortable, with improved success rate thanks to the precision and sterilisation power of the laser.
• Gum contouring – When you think about smile aesthetics, your mind probably thinks about teeth. However, your gums can change the way you look as well. Excess gum tissue can make teeth appear too short, and an uneven gum line may cause an asymmetrical smile. Laser gum surgery is faster, more precise, and more comfortable than traditional methods.
• Oral surgery – From biopsies to frenectomy (the procedure for correcting tongue-tie), lasers can replace the scalpel and minimise bleeding.
• Nightlase- The dental laser can be used to tighten the soft tissues in the back of the throat by increasing collagen regeneration and thereby reducing snoring.

Periodontal treatment

Although lasers are used in a wide variety of dental treatments, they have a particularly special place in treatment of gum disease. Like any infected tissue, the gums cannot heal if the infection continues. Laser therapy gently removes the diseased tissue, without the irritation and inflammation caused by traditional gum surgery. Most importantly, lasers kill bacteria and other harmful microorganisms on contact, sterilising the deep pockets that form around teeth.

When laser therapy is combined with diligent at-home care and regular dental treatment, it helps the gums heal and facilitates tissue reattachment. However, as a holistic dental practice, our focus goes beyond correcting the symptoms of a problem. We will work with you to discover and address the underlying causes of gum disease, which may include nutritional imbalances, uncontrolled diabetes, medications that cause chronic dry mouth, poor oral hygiene habits, and many other potential factors.

Why we use dental lasers

In many procedures, lasers can replace drills or scalpels. So what is the benefit to you the patient?

Hard tissue laser vs dental drill:

When lasers are used in tooth restoration treatments, the steps in a procedure are the same, but the tools used to perform them are different. Rather than drilling or chipping away the tooth, it is sculpted with a powerful beam of light. Once it is prepared, your dentist will design and place the restoration as normal. Laser dental treatment does not require any special aftercare. The benefits include:

• The precision of a drill is limited by the size of the burr. A tiny laser beam can carve tooth or bone tissue with exacting accuracy.
• Tooth preparation is more conservative, because we can preserve the maximum amount of healthy tissue.
• Many patients dread the sound, smell, and vibration of a dental drill. Lasers have none of those unpleasant side effects.
• In many cases, laser tooth preparation is painless, and does not require local anaesthetic.

Soft tissue laser vs scalpel:

A scalpel can cause micro-damage to tissue adjacent to the incision, which increases soreness and inflammation. Because the laser vaporises tissue rather than physically cutting it, this is not a concern. Additionally, sutures are not needed. The result is a much more comfortable treatment process, with reduced healing time and aftercare. The benefits include:

• Lasers cauterize (seal) tissue as they cut, so the procedure is nearly bloodless.
• Traditional surgical techniques require sutures, which can be uncomfortable and may require a follow-up for removal. Laser surgery has no sutures, nothing to remove, and nothing to inhibit beautiful healing.
• The precision of a laser allows for the best possible cosmetic outcome.
• Lasers kill bacteria and other harmful microorganisms on contact. This instantly sterilises the surgical wound, minimising risk of post-treatment infection.

If you want to benefit from the innovation of advanced technology and the dedication of a skilled dental team that have been using dental lasers for more than 10 years, call Smile in Style in Moonee Ponds at 03 8400 4104 or call our Sunbury office at 03 8001 6021.

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