After implementing laser dentistry in my practice earlier this year, I had the privilege of doing a few procedures that I normally would not do or would not be able to do – mainly for the fear of haemorrhaging during and after the procedures, the complexity of the techniques with conventional methods, less predictable results and severity of post-operative pain level.
The Biolase Epic X simplifies the procedures by having the preprogramed settings for the different treatments that it can do. Namely: gingivectomy, troughing, curettage, excision, frenectomy, implant recovery, perio pockets, pulpotomy, crown lengthening, infected pockets, endo, haemostasis, aphthous ulcer, and exposure.
The procedures mentioned above that my laser can be used requires less numbing of the operative area, sometimes only topical aesthetic gel is adequate enough to achieve adequate anesthesia.
Gingivectomy
When the gum tissues are inflamed, the tissues overgrow and enlarge in size. The results are both unsightly and unhygienic due to the formation of gum pockets. I can utilize the laser to trim the excessive tissues off precisely to where I want and the healing is quick and noneventful.
Troughing
Troughing is a technique that a laser is used to create a space between the gums and the edge of a filling or a crown preparation. With the gums not covering the edge of the preparation, I can place my filling nicely and cleanly onto the tooth right to the margin within interference and contamination. When trough is used in a crown preparation, the margin is fully exposed and clean of other debris for a very precise impression of the preparation to be taken.
Curettage
The other term for the procedure is called Laser-Assisted Periodontal Therapy (LAPT). It is a non-surgical periodontal therapy that minimize the generation of aerosol with potential pathogens. It is utilized to remove the inflamed granulation tissues lining inside the gum pockets. The inflamed linings are full of pathogens, toxins and other inflammatory tissues. By removing the granulation tissues and the associated noxious microorganisms and substances, the gums can heal back to their normal healthy state.
Excision
The laser tip can be used to excise unwanted tissues or tumours like fibroma, overgrown gingival papillae, papilloma, and frictional keratosis etc. The cut is clean and precise with minimal trauma to the neighbouring healthy tissues. The excised tissues can be used for biopsy as well.
Frenectomy
In our mouths, we have a total of 7 frenum in each. They are thin, linear ligamental tissues that connect the lips, tongues or the cheeks to the gums. In severe cases, the attachments are so high and strong that they actually hindering the movements of the tongues or lips. Frenectomy is the procedure that severe the ligaments so that the lips or tongues can move more freely without pulling and damaging to the attached tissues.
Implant Recovery
It is an incisional procedure using a laser tip to cut the gum tissues covering the implants in order to expose the implant. The cuts would have minimal bleeding and the healings are fast.
Perio Pockets
When the periodontal pockets are deep, laser can be used to reduce the depth of the pockets by trimming the top swollen gums off to reduce the overall pocket depths. In conjunction of laser in non-surgical pocket curettage, the remaining gum tissues can regenerate and heal up nicely.
Pulpotomy
In some cases, the infected pulp of a disease tooth can be removed and disinfected simultaneously, leaving the healthy, uninfected live tissues in the roots for healthy healing and regeneration (after the opening is covered with bioactive and compatible materials like Biotene or mineral trioxide aggregate).
Crown Lengthening
When a smile is gummy (the upper front teeth appeared to be short and square), the excessive gum tissues can be trimmed off nicely with fine margins that will heal nicely and precisely to improve the smile.
Infected Pockets
In other word, it is called laser bacterial reduction (LBR), the bad gum disease causing bacteria found inside the pockets are susceptible to the laser when the right wavelength is used. The laser specifically kills the bacteria but sparse the healthy gum tissues inside the pocket during LBR. It is a very useful tool to reduce bacterial counts inside pockets.
Endo
After the root canals are adequately cleaned and shaped with the conventional root canal therapy, laser can be used to target the laser-vulnerable bacteria residing inside the infected canals. The main factor of a successful endo treatment is creating aseptic canals and laser is a very good tool to achieve the goal.
Haemostasis
When the laser hit the bleeding vessels/capillaries, several things can happen. If the temperature at the site is kept at about 60 degree Celsius, coagulation of the blood will happen and the bleeding stops.
Aphthous Ulcer
Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has the potential to treat aphthous ulcer and related lesions. In addition to reducing the pain and discomfort, LLLT also stimulates healing of ulcers by activating the mitochondria activities inside the cells.
Exposure
Exposure here refers to making a nice clean nonbleeding opening through the soft tissues to expose the impacted tooth (most of the cases are impacted upper canine) so that an orthodontic bracket can be attached to it to guide it down into the proper position.
Besides the 14 applications delineated above, there are two more applications including teeth whitening and temporal mandibular joint pain control with the Biolase Epic X laser.
Office Is Open
Call Dr. Wong at his dental clinic at (289)-861-5111, Affinity Dental Care, if you want to speak to Dr. Wong about your oral health issues that can be related to your overall health. Smile is the key to better total body health. Check out our Burlington Affinity Dental Care location.
