Our cosmetic dentistry office utilizes three different dental lasers: the LightWalker diode laser, the HOYA ConBio™ VersaWave® Erbium-Yag, and a diagnostic laser—the KaVo DIAGNOdent—which is able to detect cavities within the tooth (disease diagnosis). These three lasers are amazing, each in their own right. Both the LightWalker diode laser and the Hoya ConBio Versawave Erbium-Yag laser are designed to work on hard and soft tissue. This means that in addition to being a less invasive and more comfortable alternative to dental drills, they can also adjust soft tissue (e.g., gums) with pinpoint accuracy. The cellular damage is minimal, creating a pain-free healing process.
These lasers are a very fine adjunct to modern dentistry. Cosmetic dentistry has been improved because we can move the gum very easily with the wave of a laser. The Erbium-Yag literally sterilizes the dental preparation allowing us to remove decay and, many times, avoiding the need for a root canal.
Research has shown that both hard and soft tissue lasers are minimally invasive and involve less tissue removal than conventional methods. We see this every single day in our office. Lasers are now being used in the treatment of periodontal disease to clean unhealthy soft tissue from the deeper ‘pockets’ that may surround a tooth. What makes this wonderful is that it is a totally painless procedure.
