Laser Gum Therapy

How do you treat periodontal disease?
Traditionally, gum disease was treated with a procedure called scaling and root planning. The procedure was about as unpleasant as it sounds. Perfored by the dental hygienists, scaling and root planning involved using hand instruments to remove plaque and tartar. Unfortunately, since this technique didn't remove the biofilm that houses the bacteria, the effectiveness of scaling and root planning was always been somewhat lacking.

Since we are committed to clinical excellence at Wells Family Dental, we treat periodontal disease with the most advanced technology available in modern dentistry, micro-ultrasonic instruments and lasers.

This combined use of technologies actually eliminates the infection rather than manager the disease, which has been the traditional form of treatment.

How does the laser work?
A diode laser is used in combination with a micro-ultrasonic hand instrument that detaches the biofilm from the tooth surface. The swirling motion created by the micro-ultrasonic actually creates a tornado like effect which attacks the physical structure of biofilm.

Once the biofilm has been detached, the diode laser is used to sterilize the periodontal pockets and remove any infected tissue. As the old tissue is removed, microscopic clots form and the body's natural healing response takes over; as this occurs, the tissue reattaches to the bone and the gums return to a healthy, infection free state.

Can the laser hurt my teeth or cut my gums?
Similar to how surgeons use lasers to remove diseased tissues, the magnetic light energy of the diode laser is specifically designed to seek out periodontal infection and therefore, doesn't harm the teeth or other, healthier tissue. This is one of the amazing characteristics of lasers.