Experience Comfortable Treatments With Laser Dental Technology
Advances in modern dentistry have provided patients with better ways to enjoy a healthier, more beautiful smile. These advances include methods such as laser dentistry. At Gentle Family Dentistry, Bakersfield dentist Dr. Jonathan Garger utilizes laser dental technology to give patients the best possible experience. Whether you need a dental cleaning or root canal therapy, laser dentistry can enhance your experience.
What Is Laser Dental Technology?
Laser dental technology or laser dentistry involves the use of lasers (light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation) to replace traditional dental tools or during a dental procedure. Today, laser technology can be utilized for multiple dental procedures including root canal therapy, gum disease treatment, and more.
Benefits of Laser Dentistry
- Reduced Dental Anxiety — Patients with dental anxiety tend to respond better to the site of a laser than they do to the sight of drills and scalpels.
- Improved Accuracy — Lasers are narrow and ultra-precise, allowing Dr. Garger to be even more accurate when working on your smile.
- Minimal Trauma — Lasers only target the affected gum tissues leaving the surrounding tissue intact.
- Reduced Bleeding — Lasers immediately cauterize any targeted tissue, resulting in reduced bleeding.
- Better Healing — Lasers stimulate cells in targeted tissues, resulting in better soft-tissue regeneration and better healing.
- Reduced Risk of Infection — Lasers immediately sterilize the areas they target, reducing the risk of infection.
- Reduced Sensitivity — Lasers target tubules in the teeth, blocking off access to the tooth root and reducing, if not eliminating, dental sensitivity.
Our Laser Dentistry Options
Our Bakersfield dental office is proud to feature two advanced dental lasers: the Diode and the Waterlase®.
The Diode
Diode lasers are a class of soft tissue lasers that generate radiation through a semiconductor.
Common uses of diode lasers in dentistry include:
- Trimming away excess or damaged soft tissue
- Reducing dental sensitivity
- Disinfecting and shrinking periodontal pockets to remove and prevent infection
Waterlase
Waterlase is a “wet” laser that utilizes the excitation of air and water molecules. Wet lasers like Waterlase continuously spray slim streams of water, keeping the tooth hydrated and preventing sensitivity and pain due to heat. Waterlase is also capable of treating hard oral structures like teeth and soft tissues alike.
Common uses for Waterlase lasers in dentistry include:
- Removing decay from teeth
- Improving the bond strengths of filling materials to the tooth
- Anesthetizing teeth and tissues without needles
- Removing excess tissue without bleeding
- Removing bone to allow access to deep decay
Frequently Asked Questions
Laser dentistry is safe and highly effective when used by dental professionals. Using lasers instead of traditional dental tools like scalpels and drills can also greatly help reduce discomfort and anxiety throughout your treatment while improving healing.
The exact cost of your laser dentistry treatment depends on numerous factors, including what type of procedure you undergo, the extent of any damage or flaws, and your insurance coverage. We encourage you to contact your insurance provider beforehand to confirm which costs they’ll cover.
If you need help covering the cost of your procedure, we offer financing options, including third-party financing through CareCredit.
There are many positives to using laser technology in dentistry, including:
- Reduced pain and healing times
- Better tissue regeneration
- More effective treatment
- Lessened dental fear
As for negatives, there’s a slight chance of gum discoloration depending on your treatment. Additionally, not every case qualifies for laser dentistry treatment. Your dentist will go over the specifics with you before your treatment takes place and will let you know if dental laser technology is a good option for you.
Call Us to Learn More About Laser Dentistry
Lasers have paved the way for numerous patients to enjoy an overall improved dental experience. At Gentle Family Dentistry, Dr. Garger offers laser dentistry services to patients in Bakersfield, and surrounding areas such as Gosford, Alameda, and Lakeview, CA.
If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of dental laser technology, please call our Bakersfield office at 661-664-9900. You can also fill out our handy contact form below and one of our friendly team members will get back to you shortly.