Laser technology is used for such a wide range of purposes – from military applications to bar code scanning – so it should come as no surprise that lasers are also regularly used now in dentistry. In fact, laser gum surgery provides many advantages over traditional gum surgery, which is why Dr. Mobley is so pleased to offer these services to her patients from throughout the Austin, TX area.
Some Common Reasons Why Gum Surgery is Necessary
A patient may need gum surgery for a variety of reasons, but some of the most common include the following:
- As a treatment for gum disease;
- To reshape poorly formed gum tissue around one or more teeth;
- To remove gum tissue that extends to far down the surface of a tooth (treatment for a “gummy smile”).
Advantages of Laser Gum Surgery
Before laser technology was widely available in dentistry, traditional surgery was required to perform these procedures. Now, all that has changed. Here are some of the many advantages of laser gum surgery over the traditional methods.
- Laser surgery is less invasive. In traditional gum surgery, the dentist would have to make an incision in the gum tissue with a scalpel. After the gums were cut, the patient required stitches. But that is not the case with laser surgery. When a laser is used rather than a scalpel, no stitches are required.
- Laser surgery is more precise, removing only the less desirable and/or damaged gum tissue without impacting surrounding gums and bone tissue.
- Laser surgery requires less healing time. Not only are there no sutures required after laser surgery; the laser also kills bacteria in the gum tissue and reduces inflammation. That means a much shorter recovery time for the patient.
Contact Us Today
To find out more about our dental services, or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Megan Mobley, contact our Austin, TX office today.
