Savannah Smiles | dentists savannah tn | savannah tn dentist | savannah tn dentists

We are very excited to offer laser dentistry in our office. We have a hard tissue laser used for dental fillings, bone contouring for esthetic enhancement of your smile as well as a soft tissue laser for gum contouring, periodontal treatment, and removal of soft tissue lesions. Our hard tissue laser is an erbium laser made by Hoya Conbio that allows us to do fillings with no or very little anesthetic (no shot) in a lot of cases. Our soft tissue laser is a diode Navigator laser.

We will answer some questions about lasers that most of our patients have been interested in:

Can you really get a dental filling without anesthesia?

Yes. Laser dentistry has made this dream a reality. Clinical studies showed over 95% of all patients, both adults and children, required no anesthesia when the dental laser was used to treat decay. Lasers are letting us give patients what they want -no shot, no drill, and no numb lip. Of course anesthesia is still necessary in dental procedures other than fillings, such as root canals and crowns. So unfortunately, anesthesia cannot be totally eliminated from dentistry. With the new lasers the use of anesthesia can be eliminated for dental fillings in most cases.

Can the dental laser be used on children?

The FDA has approved treatment of both adults and children with dental lasers. The treatment has proven to be quick and safe in numerous applications, especially for young children. Children are particularly receptive to the idea of replacing a shot and drill with something more pleasant.

How does the dental laser work?

Hard tissue lasers use light to search for water in the tooth, the excess of which indicates disease in the tooth structure. The laser works by emitting a specialized light that targets and removes the tooth decay, leaving a healthier tooth. Lasers are truly revolutionizing the way we treat dental decay.

How does a dental laser compare to a dental drill?

Drills are very powerful, and the vibration and large hole produced can cause discomfort, making some type of anesthesia almost always necessary. With the Delight laser, the light works to destroy and remove the decay without the resulting discomfort for most patients. Additionally, because the laser is so precise, only the decayed part of the tooth is removed leaving more of the healthy portion of the tooth intact. And the etched surface from the laser also allows for a stronger bond between the tooth and the tooth colored filling material.

Does it take longer to get a laser filling?

Quite the opposite actually. With the no anesthesia benefit of the laser, no time is spent waiting for "Novocaine" to take effect. We can perform the procedure as soon as the patient is settled into the chair. This lets us get them back to their daily schedule in much less time, and all without having to wait for anesthesia to wear off. In fact, without the numb lip, our patients can chew, eat lunch, give a speech, or do other activities immediately after leaving our office.

If the no-anesthesia, hard-tissue lasers have been around for more than five years, why don't more dentists use them?

Good question. Perhaps it's a matter of public education and demand. That's why we've begun trying to inform our community about the no-anesthesia option that hard-tissue lasers make possible. We believe patient comfort is an important element of successful dentistry and that's why we chose to add it to our practice. Our practice wanted to be a leader in this area and decided to offer the benefits now, rather than wait until you demand them.