Improving Smiles with Dental Lasers in Edmonton, Alberta
When it comes to treating mild to severe
periodontal disease, traditional methods to effectively remove bacteria and infected tissue are often extensive, requiring multiple appointments and follow-up visits to maintain a healthy smile and prevent reinfection. To improve treatment success and long-term results, Edmonton dentist Dr. Derek Fika utilizes soft tissue dental lasers when treating periodontal disease.
Understanding Periodontal Lasers
Traditionally, periodontal therapy requires deep cleaning, root planing, and scaling with a dental pick in order to remove disease-causing bacteria from the teeth, below the gum line, and from within periodontal pockets. To prevent future accumulation of bacteria, patients often must adopt a more responsible at-home oral hygiene routine and increase the frequency of professional cleanings.
Periodontal therapy with soft tissue lasers provides an effective, comprehensive compliment to traditional therapies. Dental lasers utilize specific wavelengths of light to precisely target treatment areas without compromising surrounding tissue.
The Benefits of Using Dental Lasers
There are a number of advantages associated with the use of soft tissue lasers for periodontal therapy. Given the precision of the instrument, dental lasers can be used to treat varying stages of gingivitis and gum disease, providing patients with a non-invasive alternative to removing bacteria and infected tissue. By simultaneously removing bacteria and sterilizing the affected area, dental lasers effectively hinder bacteria accumulation, lowering the risk of reinfection.
As the laser cauterizes tissue during the procedure, there is minimal bleeding during and following the procedure. This provides patients with comfortable, minimally invasive treatment and accelerated recovery.
By stimulating blood coagulation during the procedure, laser periodontal therapy also helps facilitate gum reattachment to teeth. Not only does this reduce the need for more extensive treatments, but gingival reattachment also helps to improve the cosmetic drawbacks of gum disease and lower the risk of post-treatment infection.
The Versatility of Laser Dentistry
In addition to treating periodontal disease, soft tissue dental lasers can also be used to address a number of other oral conditions, including:
- Gummy Smiles, where elongated gums cause the appearance of small teeth
- Gum Recession, caused by periodontal disease
- Frenectomies
- Fibroma Accumulation
- Cold Sores
In Edmonton, Dr. Derek Fika uses laser dentistry to help patients achieve optimal oral health and their ideal smile. By integrating this and other technologies into our treatment plans, our Edmonton dentist is able to create comprehensive solutions that yield lasting results. For more information about treating periodontal disease and other conditions with laser dentistry, contact Dr. Derek Fika Family Dentistry today.