How Soft Tissue Lasers Can Leave You Beaming

When you were a kid, you probably heard that lasers were the wave of the future. Whether they were protecting your favorite sci-fi heroes from bad guys, or keeping your cat entertained, everyone believed that someday they’d be capable of amazing things. The great news is that while we have yet to fully tap into the incredible potential of these concentrated beams of light, lasers are now more common than ever, even helping your dentist complete a variety of oral health treatments faster, more comfortably, and more efficiently than traditional methods. Here’s a closer look at a few soft tissue laser treatments your dentist offers, and how they can benefit you and your smile right now!

Gum Recontouring

Do you have a “gummy” smile? Do your teeth appear too small because of too much periodontal tissue covering them? Gum recontouring removes this excess from the teeth, making them look bigger. Traditionally, this treatment was done with a scalpel and sutures, but with a soft-tissue laser, it can be done faster and more efficiently than ever before. That’s because the soft tissue laser uses concentrated light to essentially vaporize the tissue, cauterizing it while it works. This means that not only will your treatment be faster, but it will also be more precise, comfortable, and bleed less. Better still, you will have a lower risk of infection during healing, and because you won’t need sutures, you’ll also be more comfortable and recover quicker, too!

Gum Disease Therapy

Gum disease is an infection of the gums caused by dangerous oral bacteria. To treat it, you need to remove some tissue that is too badly damaged to be restored. Traditionally, this procedure was also done with a scalpel and sutures. However, with the soft-tissue laser, your dentist can now clear away infected tissue much more precisely, only eliminating what’s necessary and nothing more. The laser also reduces the need for sutures in this treatment, as it cauterizes the tissue while it works. This means a faster, more comfortable healing process, as well as a lower risk of infection during recovery. The heat also kills the bacteria as it works, helping to protect your healthy tissue from future infection.

Preparation for Restorations and Veneers

When you invest in your smile with veneers, you want your teeth to look and feel their best. If you have a little more gum tissue on your teeth than you need and it could get in the way of your veneers or restorations, the soft-tissue laser can quickly remove it so your treatment can continue without any extensive healing period or need for stitches. This not only means your new smile will be ready to showcase even sooner, but it also means your results will reach their full potential and you’ll get the best outcome for your investment.

Remember, lasers may seem like a far off, futuristic concept, but the truth is that they’re here today and already being used in myriad ways to make your life and your smile better. To learn more about how the soft-tissue laser can benefit you and your oral health, schedule a consultation with your dentist today!

About Dr. Castleberry

Dr. Darrick Castleberry is a proud graduate of Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry, and an active member of the Academy of General Dentistry, Greater Houston Dental Society, National Dental Association, Texas Dental Association, Gulf State Dental Society, and the Charles A. George Dental Society as well as the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc., and a Fellow in The International Congress of Oral Implantologists (ICOI). Honored by H-Texas Magazine as one of the top cosmetic dentists in America, Dr. Castleberry regularly expands his dental knowledge at the Las Vegas Institute (LVI) for Advanced Dental Studies. To schedule an appointment for laser dentistry at The Castleberry Center, visit our website or call us today at 281-971-3440.