Soft Tissue Laser
Platte City, MO
When the phrase oral surgery is mentioned, it can often trigger fear or anxiety. This phrase conjures up images of shots, sharp scalpels, sutures, and post-surgical pain and swelling. Patients with dental fears or anxiety might try to avoid treatment at all costs. At Platte Valley Dental Care, we can make undergoing many surgical treatments easier, and less invasive, with a soft tissue laser.
What is a Soft Tissue Laser?Traditionally, surgical procedures have been performed using a tool called a scalpel. This manual tool is effective, but it has several significant downsides. For one, it can cause a significant amount of bleeding. It also causes tissue trauma that can leave you with a lot of pain and swelling during the recovery process. Moreover, for patients who suffer anxiety when it comes to undergoing dental care, the scalpel can trigger fear, causing them to avoid necessary treatments.
Laser dentistry is a technological advancement over the scalpel. The word laser is an acronym that stands for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. While lasers have been around for a while, they are still fairly new to the field of dentistry. A laser uses a very thin, concentrated beam of light energy to perform many procedures traditionally performed using a scalpel. It is much less invasive, however, and greatly reduces not only bleeding but post-surgical pain and swelling as well.
Uses for a Soft Tissue LaserA soft tissue laser can be used to perform some different treatments traditionally performed using a scalpel. These treatments include: | • |
Gum disease treatment. The laser can be used to remove infected tissue and disinfect periodontal pockets. It can also help seal periodontal pockets and stimulate the growth of new tissue, allowing your gums to heal.
|
| • |
Aesthetic gum lifts. A laser can remove excess gum tissue that affects the appearance of your teeth and the quality of your smile. The laser allows us to easily reshape your gums to greatly improve your smile and boost your confidence.
|
| • |
Soft tissue biopsies. A laser can remove a portion of a lesion or other abnormality for closer examination under a microscope.
|
| • |
Ideal bracket placement for braces. If gum tissue has not receded enough, or the teeth are not erupting as quickly as expected, the laser can be used to remove just enough tissue to allow for optimal bracket placement. This helps to avoid delays in treatments. |
Benefits of a Soft Tissue LaserThe soft tissue laser provides many benefits: | • |
The laser light is much less invasive than a scalpel. This can be especially helpful for patients who suffer anxiety.
|
| • |
The need for anesthesia is reduced. In some instances, there is no need for anesthesia at all.
|
| • |
The light cauterizes your tissues as it cuts, greatly reducing the amount of bleeding you experience.
|
| • |
The laser reduces tissue trauma, which means much less pain and swelling during recovery. In many cases, recovery times are shorter than with traditional treatments.
|
| • |
Lasers provide pinpoint accuracy. We can remove only the necessary tissue, leaving more of your healthy tissue intact. |
Thanks to the soft tissue laser, many once invasive treatments are now made easier and much less traumatic. For more information, and to find out if a soft tissue laser can be used for your dental treatments, call Platte Valley Dental Care at (816)858-2027 today. |
