Introducing Solea Laser Technology at Tidal Smiles Pediatric Dentistry!
Elizabeth City Pediatric Dentist
Solea Laser
HARD AND SOFT TISSUE LASER DENTISTRY
The Solea Dental Laser provides our patients at Tidal Smiles Pediatric Dentistry with an anxiety-free and anesthesia-free dental experience—just what we want for our young patients. Dental lasers allow Dr. Winter to perform dental procedures by ablating or vaporizing tissue; this procedure allows for drill-free dentistry. Patients experience virtually painless procedures that take a fraction of the time of a traditional dental appointment. Patients can get all their dental needs addressed in a single visit, making it easy to return to work, home, or school.
The Solea Dental Laser can be used for the removal of cavities, tooth preparation, and crowns, just to name a few.
Solea also enables soft tissue procedures that are blood-free and suture-free with minimal post-op discomfort and remarkably rapid healing. Dental lasers are a gentle, less-invasive way to effectively and safely remove and shape soft tissue, most often gum tissue and muscle attachment points. Used in a variety of procedures, dental lasers offer precise treatment that is more comfortable and faster than traditional dental methods. For children, this means far less fear and anxiety and an overall better treatment experience.
Soft tissue laser therapy provides the following advantages:
- Faster healing
- Minimal bleeding
- Reduced swelling and discomfort
- Infection risk is reduced
- Improved treatment experience
LASER TREATMENT OF TONGUE AND LIP TIES
Both conditions are associated with breastfeeding problems among newborns, including poor latch, inadequate feeding, and maternal nipple pain. Laser treatment for infant tongue and lip ties is a procedure called a frenotomy. Treatment with a laser will not require stitches, and only a minimal amount of topical and local anesthetic may be necessary. In most cases, immediate breastfeeding is encouraged.
UNCOVERING ERUPTING TEETH TO PREVENT IMPACTION
At times, thick gum tissue may prevent an erupting tooth from coming in. By utilizing the Solea Laser, Dr. Winter can remove excess gum tissue quickly and precisely with minimal or no bleeding, post-operative pain, or swelling. This lets erupting teeth come in unhindered, preventing impactions and infections, and may even lead to less crowding of the teeth with orthodontic treatment.
GINGIVECTOMIES: ESTHETIC and HYGIENIC
A laser gingivectomy is a procedure that removes excess gum tissue (gingiva). It treats two main conditions.
- Gummy smile (esthetic crown lengthening)
- Periodontal procedures (hygienic)
GUMMY SMILE
Esthetic Crown Lengthening
Periodontal procedures are available to lay the groundwork for restorative and cosmetic dentistry and/or to improve the esthetics of your gum line. You may have asked your dentist about procedures to improve a “gummy” smile, where your teeth appear short when smiling. Your teeth may actually be the proper length, but they are covered with too much gum tissue. You might also have an uneven gum line that detracts from the aesthetics of your smile. In both of these cases, your dentist can perform crown lengthening to enhance your smile. When crown lengthening is done to enhance the esthetics of your smile, it is called “esthetic crown lengthening.”
What are the benefits of this procedure?
Esthetic crown lengthening can enhance the esthetics of your smile. It can create a more even gum line or make your teeth appear longer. It can also improve your ability to eat, as well as allow for better oral hygiene and result in less gum irritation.
PERIODONTAL PROCEDURES (HYGIENIC)
Sometimes, excess gum tissue can be detrimental to your oral health. For example, food, debris, or plaque may accumulate in the area between the tooth and gum tissue. Eventually, this can result in other dental problems, such as inflammation, decay, or gum disease. To combat this issue, the excess gum tissue can simply be removed. This will eliminate the problematic tissue and make the area easier to clean.
OPERCULECTOMY/EXCISION OF PERICORONAL GINGIVA
When the back molars come in and the gum tissue over them is thick and does not recede out of the way, eating can be difficult and painful. Food getting stuck under the flap of gum tissue can cause painful pericoronitis. If the tissue overlying the tooth is small, it is called an operculum, and its removal is referred to as an operculectomy. If the tissue is large, it is referred to as “pericoronal gingiva,” and its removal is referred to as “excision of pericoronal gingiva.”
At Tidal Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, our team is proud to offer the most advanced technology to ensure that your child receives the best oral health care possible. Please contact our office today if you would like to learn more about how laser dentistry can benefit your child.
