Laser Dentistry in El Cajon, CA
Lasers were first introduced to the dental world in the early ‘90s; however, as with most dental procedures and technologies over the years, modern-day dental lasers have certainly come a long way since then. Dr. Soto provides comprehensive laser dentistry to treat a wide range of issues, from dental stains to periodontal disease. Lasers are quite effective for addressing a wide range of hard and soft tissue oral issues, as well as cosmetic treatments because they are incredibly precise. Here are just some of how laser dentistry can improve the health of your smile, with the help of the team at Bella Dental Group in El Cajon, CA.
Some Major Benefits of Laser Dentistry Include:
- Less pain than traditional drills, so less anesthesia is needed (which means fewer side effects for you)
- Less anxiety surrounding lasers than drills, so nervous patients can feel more relaxed during their procedure
- Fewer post-treatment side effects such as bleeding and swelling
- A completely sterilized dental tool that reduces your chances of developing a post-treatment infection
What Is LANAP?
LANAP is an FDA-cleared laser treatment protocol which offers a less painful, more successful treatment alternative to conventional surgery. LANAP=LAR is the only scientifically, research proven methodology that results in true periodontal regeneration, new bone growth and gum tissue reattachment. LANAP and LAR is accomplished with the PerioLase MVP-7. It is a free-running, variable pulsed Nd:YAG laser. The 7 variable pulse durations can be thought of as “different lasers” in one device as they have discrete and discriminating tissue interactions. The LANAP=LAR treatment is one of the most successful protocols in treating gum disease because it can target the source of the inflammation without hurting or removing any healthy gum tissue, slow or stop attachment loss and decrease pocket depth, and allowing the body to recover from the chronic infection without the need for scalpel or sutures.
How Lanap Works
You can’t change physics! The success of the LANAP protocol is rooted in laser physics and the unique interaction between the tissue in the mouth and the variable pulsed wavelength of the PerioLase MVP-7 1064 Nd:YAG dental laser.
The 1064 wavelength passes through water and hydroxyapatite; but is absorbed in melanin and hemoglobin. Simply put – the wavelength targets the diseased tissue without harming healthy tissue. The laser light penetrates 4mm beyond the tissue surface for effective bacteria kill. Once the site is clean; the laser interacts with the hemoglobin to create a stable fibrin clot.
Some Other Uses For Laser Dentistry:
Tooth Decay Treatment
While we would all like to go through life with cavity-free teeth, sometimes it’s impossible to avoid. In fact, about 92 percent of adults between the ages of 20 to 64 have experienced tooth decay. Statistically speaking, you’ll most likely experience this pesky problem at some point in your adult life. So, how do we treat tooth decay? We can use laser technology to remove the decay in your teeth and prepare the rest of your tooth’s enamel for a dental filling. Lasers are also used to harden and seal the dental filling to prevent new decay from forming.
Gum Disease Treatment
Eighty percent of US adults suffer from some degree of gum disease, making this one of the most common diseases in America. Yet, only 60% know they have gum disease. Worse yet, only 3% of adults with moderate to severe levels of gum disease will get treatment. Scaling and root planing is traditionally the first line of defense against gum disease; however, we now have an FDA-cleared laser treatment called the LANAP protocol which offers a less painful and much more successful treatment alternative to conventional surgery. The LANAP treatment can target the source of the inflammation without hurting or removing any healthy gum tissue, slow or stop attachment loss and decrease pocket depth, allowing the body to recover from the chronic infection without the need for scalpel or sutures.
Failing Implants (peri-implantitis)
80% of patients experience complications due to inflammation and 100% of patients want to save their smiles and avoid recession. The LAPIP Protocol is the only patient-friendly, predictable solution for ailing implants. Studies indicate 95% of the failing implants treated with the LAPIP Protocol have reintegrated in the pocket and stabilized with significant bone growth. And because their is no resection or reflection of a vertically oriented flap is needed, the integrity of the structural tissue is retained.
Teeth Whitening
If over-the-counter whitening remedies are falling flat, you may have looked into our professional teeth whitening system. In-office teeth whitening can indeed give you a visibly whiter smile in under an hour, and you can thank our trusty lasers for giving you those pearly whites. Lasers are used to help speed up teeth whitening treatment. The lasers help activate the peroxide solution that we use, to give you a whiter smile faster.
If you’re interested in finding out more about how laser dentistry could improve your smile here in El Cajon, CA, then call Bella Dental Group today at (619) 444-6157. We would be happy to talk to you more about our full range of dental services!