The Waterlase iPlus Laser

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The Waterlase Dental laser is one of the most advanced dental treatments available today. It combines light energy with a stream of water for a highly precise, exceptionally gentle dental experience.

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• Fillings and Tooth Preparation
  The laser can, in the right circumstances, be used to prepare a tooth for a filling in place of a drill. It cannot remove metal fillings, however, so it cannot always replace the drill. Often no anaesthesia is required. The laser works with no heat or vibration, so causes little or no discomfort and this also protects the surrounding enamel. It is so precise that it preserves more of the healthy tooth structure and destroys bacteria locally to ensure no contaminant is left in the tooth. Fillings prepared using the laser often take much longer, sometimes twice as long as using the drill and so will be more expensive. Using the laser does not mean we never use the drills as smoothing cavity walls and smoothing and polishing the final filling cannot be done with the laser.

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• Children’s Laser Dentistry
  The Waterlase laser can be used instead of a drill or scalpel and its gentle action can help eliminate any fear and anxieties associated with dental visits. It is the preferred treatment for tooth decay with no heat, vibration and shrill sound of the drill, and often there is no need for anaesthesia. For other treatments, there is less trauma to the area and faster healing. 

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• Root Canal Treatments
  The laser can be used to open the canal and then, using a combination of air, water and light energy, can remove diseased tissue and clean out and sterilise the canal. The anti-bacterial action of the laser improves the chances of the root filling succeeding. Using the laser also helps to initiate the body’s healing process.

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• Gum Disease/Periodontal Treatments
  Laser treatment is already used by many periodontists (gum disease specialists) in the UK for the treatment of gum disease. The current and growing body of research supports this move towards more laser use. Gum disease forms in pockets around the tooth which can weaken its attachment to the gum; eventually causing it to fall out. Deep pockets would normally require surgical treatment, but with lasers, these can often be managed non-surgically and with less discomfort. Lasers don’t compromise on efficacy: they can actually penetrate deeper into the pockets of gum disease because the tip is finer than other instruments and lead to a smaller risk of recurrence and better healing response.

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• Dental Implants
  Jeremy primarily uses the laser in the treatment of implant problems that can arise such as peri-implantitis. The laser also sterilises the area, promotes healing of soft tissue and regeneration of new hard and soft tissue. This reduces the chance of infection, improves wound healing, and encourages new bone growth to integrate the implant into the jaw bone. The Waterlase can also be used to regenerate attached keratinised gingiva. It is thought that inadequate attached keratinised gingiva can lead to peri-implantitis.

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Waterlase Laser

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Other treatments possible with the Waterlase are:

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• Fraenectomies (removal of tongue or lip ties)
  These can be carried out without the need for stitches and with little or no anaesthesia. There is little post-operative pain and the fraenum doesn’t re-grow.

• Gum Contouring and other Soft Tissue Surgery
  With a laser, this can be done more precisely so the cosmetic outcome is greatly improved. Because no scalpel is used there is much less post-operative pain, swelling, bruising and bleeding. The laser also encourages faster healing without scarring so no tissue shrinkage. There is also less bleeding and the results can be viewed much more quickly.

• Depigmentation​​

• This can be carried out with little or no anaesthesia usually using anaesthetic cream. There is little post-operative pain and the result is almost immediate. There is a possibility that some pigmentation can regenerate requiring a second visit.

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To find out if our cutting-edge laser dentistry at Bliss Dental Practice could help you, contact us today to book a consultation.