Dental lasers improve on the capabilities of traditional dental tools to make treatment more comfortable. Maryland Family Dentistry uses soft tissue lasers in gum-related applications. Certain procedures are possible without as much anesthetic, with less bleeding, and with quicker healing. Laser dentistry relieves patients with dental anxiety by removing many of the sights, sounds, and feelings associated with traditional dental treatment.
Dental Lasers Improve Treatment
With standard gingival procedures, scalpels and other physical tools are used to alter the gums. Dental lasers forgo cutting and 
friction for tissue ablation, or vaporization. This aids in the procedure in the following ways:
- Self-cauterizing – A soft tissue laser seals wounds as it creates them, allowing for treatment with less bleeding. This also reduces healing time to get patients back to regular life as soon as possible.
- Antibacterial – The focused beams of light soft tissue lasers deploy kill bacteria in the area, making treatment possible without worrying about infection.
- Less collateral damage – Dental lasers are tissue-specific; healthy tissue and hard tissue will not be affected by soft tissue treatment.
- More comfortable – Because dental lasers don’t employ friction, treatment is more pleasant for patients.
Applications of Soft Tissue Lasers
When you consider gingival procedures, not much may come to mind. But there are countless instances in which soft tissue lasers have proved helpful at our practice. A few common soft tissue procedures include
- Frenectomy – This is the removal of a band of tissue restricting muscle movement, like the skin connecting your tongue to the bottom of your mouth. Some patients require frenectomies in order to enjoy full range of motion of the tongue or lips.
- Removal of fibromas and aphthous ulcers – Benign but unwanted tissue growth in the mouth is uncomfortable. Lasers will remove these spots with a simple procedure.
- Gingival contouring – Sometimes gums can appear in too wide a swathe when an individual smiles, leading to a “gummy smile.” Removing a small portion of the gums will balance the gum-tooth display.
- Gingival troughing – When treating periodontal disease or prepping teeth for crowns, it can be necessary to create a separation between teeth and gums. Soft tissue lasers accomplish this with ease.
Laser dentistry needs to be experienced. Contact us to schedule your next procedure!
