Is the No-Shot, No-Drill Dental  Laser an expensive treatment  option?

No. We consider this ultramodern equipment as just another of the many reliable resources we regularly utilize to assist clients in improving their oral condition. In any situation where it will positively influence the patient's experience and treatment outcome, the LASER is chosen over use of anesthetic and the dental drill without any effect on the fee.

What is the DENTAL LASER? Our laser is known as a HYDROKINETIC DENTAL LASER. "Hydrokinetic" means "water energy". The hydrokinetic process is the removal of tissues with laser-energized water droplets. Hydrokinetic energy is produced by combining a spray of atomized water with laser energy. The resulting hydrokinetic energy gently and precisely removes tooth enamel (the hardest substance in the body) or soft tissue (gum tissue) with no heat and no vibration.

Benefits of our hydrokinetic laser include:

•	Heat and vibration are the causes of most of the pain associated with the dental drill. Since Hydrokinetic cutting doesn't generate heat or vibration, MOST DENTAL PROCEDURES CAN BE PERFORMED WITH NO PAIN, VIRTUALLY ELIMINATING THE NEED FOR ANESTHESIA IN MOST CASES.
•	The Laser's pinpoint accuracy is precise enough that we can leave behind as much healthy tooth structure as possible, allowing you to have more conservative fillings in stronger teeth.
•	The Laser sterilizes as it cuts, leaving less chance for bacterial contamination of the dental pulp in deep cavities.
•	The high speed dental drill leaves behind a smear layer, a layer of residual debris. The Hydrokinetic Laser creates a clean surface with no smear layer in a way that maximizes the bonding of tooth-colored fillings, allowing them to last longer.
•	Our Hydrokinetic Laser is as safe as other medical devices. With its 2mm active range from the tip, the laser provides pinpoint accuracy. The primary safety measure necessary during laser treatment is proper protective glasses.

 

What is the Laser experience like? The whine and vibration of the dental drill is absent, replaced by water spray and a sound similar to that of popcorn popping. Nine out of ten of our patients undergoing the laser process in our practice have accepted treatment without anesthetic.

Most patients treated with the Laser report that the primary sensation in the tooth is that of varying degrees of coolness. Though not yet fully understood, the pulsing energy of the Laser has a sedative effect as it momentarily modifies nerve transmission. Dr. Loughran can adjust the power level to allow the patient to become gradually accustomed to whatever Laser sensation they may be experiencing. One characteristic of Laser treatment which all of us notice is the slow cutting speed compared to the dental drill. Our tradeoff for no vibration and no numbness is longer actual tooth preparation time. In this respect, the most challenged chairside role belongs to our highly skilled dental assistants, who concentrate and maintain taxing instrument positions during the generally lengthier procedure.

Who benefits from Laser dental treatment? The Hydrokinetic Laser was approved by the FDA in 1997 for use on oral tissues. The Laser can be used for removal of decay, cavity preparation, removal of tooth-colored resin, reshaping of "gummy smiles", and general soft tissue procedures such as fibroma removal and frenectomy. In 1999, the Hydrokinetic Laser was cleared by the FDA for use on children. Children who would otherwise sit through treatment with anesthetic and the drill would certainly accept the laser process as a more satisfying experience. Some children who would otherwise require drug-induced sedation and treatment by a specialist may be convinced to accept the laser process with proper conditioning. At Family and Cosmetic Dentistry of Southern Illinois, we take the time with our young patients and their parents to assure that necessary treatment is comfortable as well as successful. The Hydrokinetic process is not effective at cutting metal. The good news is that the Laser is able to remove non-metallic restorative material. Our office has been exclusively placing non-metallic, tooth-colored restorations since 1997, and if someday those restorations need refurbishment it may happen without the need for anesthetic or the dental drill.