Soft Tissue Laser
 The idea of surgery can be scary. It often conjures images of shots, sharp objects, bleeding, pain, and swelling. Even though traditional oral surgery procedures are very effective, many patients may try to avoid them out of fear or anxiety. At Naborowski Orthodontics, we can perform some different procedures that are traditionally performed using a scalpel with a soft tissue laser.
What is a Soft Tissue Laser?
While lasers have been around for a while, they are still a fairly recent addition to the dental field. The word laser is an acronym. It stands for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. The soft tissue laser uses a thin, concentrated beam of light energy to perform a variety of procedures on the soft tissues within your mouth. The laser provides a much less invasive alternative to a traditional scalpel, leaving you with less bleeding as well as significantly less pain and swelling after your treatment is complete.
Ideal Bracket Placement
The placement of your brackets is important. How we place your brackets plays a role in how your teeth move. To achieve the ideal results, the brackets have to be placed in specific locations on your teeth. If your gums have not receded far enough, or a tooth is not erupting as quickly as anticipated, the laser can be used to remove just enough tissue to place the bracket in its ideal location.
Exposing Impacted Teeth
An impacted tooth is one that cannot properly erupt through the gums, or erupt at all. The wisdom teeth are the most commonly affected by this issue, but any tooth can become impacted. Waiting for an impacted tooth to erupt on its own could take quite some time, delaying necessary orthodontic treatment. With the use of a soft tissue laser, we can help the impacted tooth to erupt faster. This prevents a delay in your orthodontic treatment as well as any other potential complications such as cysts or infections.
Gum Recontouring
While most people focus on the appearance of the teeth for a beautiful smile, your gums also play a role. Even after achieving the ideal alignment of your teeth, your smile might still be less than perfect due to areas of excess gum tissue. This tissue can cause your teeth to appear small, which can then significantly affect the quality of your smile. After your braces have been removed, you may be recommended for gum, or gingival, recontouring. This is a procedure that is done to improve the overall aesthetics of your smile, allowing you to maximize the benefits of orthodontic treatment.
Benefits of a Soft Tissue Laser
A soft tissue laser offers many significant benefits.
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The laser is much less invasive than a traditional scalpel.
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The light cauterizes tissue as it cuts, reducing the amount of bleeding you experience.
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The laser provides pinpoint accuracy, allowing for the removal of only the necessary tissue.
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Reduced tissue trauma means much less pain and swelling during your recovery.
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Recovery times are often shorter.
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Some procedures can be performed without a local anesthetic. |
If you are interested in learning more about our soft tissue laser, and if treatment using this incredible technology is right for you, call Naborowski Orthodontics at (630) 543-5051 today.
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