Laser dentistry in Charlotte

Despite the solid research and years of terrific results that accompany the PerioLase MVP-7 dental laser in treating moderate-to-severe periodontal (gum) disease, it is amazing to me how slowly it is still catching on.  I’m heading to Cerritos, CA on Wed., August 12th to attend the 3 days of Boot Camp, otherwise known as 3 days of a bunch of dentist geeks who really love providing the best care to their patients sitting around and talking laser physics.  🙂  LOL  Yes, I’m one of those dentist nerds – we’ll even be talking about lasers, gum disease, etc. over dinner and drinks, late into the evening.  But still…….once I receive my laser, I will be one of only 4 dentists in Charlotte – one of only 7 dentists in all of western North Carolina – and one of only 19 dentists in ALL of North Carolina to have this remarkable laser.

LANAP – the most effective, most comfortable treatment for periodontal (gum) disease available

The procedure is called LANAP, or “Laser Assisted New Attachment Protocol.”  What it means in practical terms is that, following treatment with the protocol (which is extremely strict, which is why Millenium Dental, the manufacturer, does not even allow a doctor to have the laser until after the initial 3 days of training), your gums will actually REATTACH to your teeth, and oftentimes the bone will actually grow back!  Yes, you read that correctly, this laser and protocol can actually stimulate your body to REGENERATE LOST BONE SUPPORT FOR YOUR TEETH! No other laser has ever been shown to have this capability.

But what else can the PerioLase dental laser do?

Laser Root Canal Treatment: the laser can be used during a root canal procedure to help disinfect the inside of the tooth, which may increase the success rate of the procedure, and minimize post-treatment flare-ups.

Laser Removal of Excess Gum Tissue: Especially during extended orthodontic treatment, it is not uncommon for the gums to overgrow and get big and puffy.  With the application of some Ambesol-like gel to numb up the gums, the PerioLase can easily remove this excess gum tissue with barely any discomfort.

Release a “tongue-tie”: if your tongue is “tied” to the bottom of your mouth too tightly by the connecting tissue, it can make it more difficult to talk.  This tissue can be “trimmed” or released with a laser-incision that then requires no stitches.

There will be other uses, but these will be some of the primary ones.  I’ll let you know more once I get back from the training!

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Cosmetic Dentistry in Charlotte: Correcting a Gummy Smile with a “Gum Lift”

Smile Makeovers can take many shapes and forms, and it is so important IMO for a dentist to be fully informed and trained on DIAGNOSING all kinds of smile problems and knowing the APPROPRIATE recommendations to make, because if an improper diagnosis is made, then the wrong treatment can easily be chosen, which will only result in a less-than-satisfactory result and an unhappy patient.  Here’s a perfect example:

Mia first came to my office in March of 2007 to ask if Porcelain Veneers could give her the smile she’d always wanted.  Her complaint was that her teeth were too short and square, and she hoped that veneers could make them longer.  However, the problem was NOT that her teeth were too short; the problem was that she had too much gum COVERING her teeth, making them appear shorter than they really were.

Mia’s Smile Before

Smile Makeover to Correct a Gummy Smile - BEFORE picture

As it turns out, Mia also had old dental crowns and bridges that were in need of replacement.  Unfortunately, the dentist who had placed them 20 years ago did not recognize the excess gum problem (turns out there was also excess bone covering the teeth, but you probably don’t want to see the surgical photos, right? 😉  ), and so he placed the edges of the crowns and bridges too far under the gum, resulting in chronic gum irritation.  The human body simply does not like it if you put dental materials (gold, amalgam, porcelain, composite resin, doesn’t matter) too close to the bone and too far under the gum, so the gums get irritated and will always bleed when brushing and flossing, sometimes even just to the touch.  We’re replacing the existing dental work over time, but we were able to do the right side work at the same time as the “Cosmetic Gum Lift,” which really made a big improvement.  (When looking at the photos, it’s on the left side of the pictures.)

So after plenty of consultation, Mia decided to go with the corrective gum surgery.  The technical name for this is “Esthetic Crown Lengthening,” which simply means that we are making the teeth look prettier (esthetic) by making them look longer.  She told us beforehand that she felt very nervous, but afterwards said that it was much easier and  less uncomfortable than she’d expected, and her healing was much easier than she’d thought.  Usually the only discomfort is some gum soreness, really.

Mia’s Smile After

Mia tells us she is simply THRILLED with her smile now, and it’s easy to see why!

Smile Makeover to Correct a Gummy Smile - AFTER picture

And for Mia, one of the best parts of the whole treatment was that we were able to do everything right here at Smiles by Payet Dentistry, with no need to refer her to a specialist.  I really loved giving Mia the smile that she’d always wanted, with no unnecessary drilling for porcelain veneers that would not have solved her problem in the first place.  We did also replace her old crowns and bridge on the upper right, and with the excess gum tissue removed there, too, now she has no problems keeping the area clean, and her gums don’t bleed when she brushes or flossing.  Next will be the upper left side.