Our office is one of the first and only offices in Rhode Island to offer treatment with an all tissue dental laser. It is actually "Dentistry at the speed of light".
There is no drilling involved. There are no scalpels used. In fact the procedures are usually painless and are almost always completed without using anesthesia (NO SHOT!). This means we can treat multiple areas at one time and dismiss you without numb lips and cheeks that seem to last for hours.
When used to treat cavities the laser selectively removes decay. This leaves more healthy tooth structure intact than when the same procedure is performed with a drill. Therefore it is a very conservative approach to treating tooth decay. The treated surface has a "frosted" appearance and helps the filling material to adhere.
When the laser is used for gum surgery there is usually no need to place sutures or stitches. In addition the laser will stimulate the tissue to heal faster with less discomfort than similar treatments completed without the laser.
Other procedures can also be treated quickly and painlessly utilizing the laser so ask us if the laser is an option when it comes to your care.
In addition to our treatment laser we utilize a diagnostic laser known as the DIAGNODENT.
This laser helps us determine when decay is present. The laser beam is focused on the tooth in question and the device registers a numeric value.
If the number is within a certain range, decay is present, and a filling is needed. If the number is low we record the value in your records and will re-test the area at future visits to see if the value increases.