How Low Level Laser Therapy Works:

When laser light is applied, the photons penetrate into the mitrochronic of the cell and through oxidated processes, stimulate the production of ATP, which in turn provides energy to fuel cell activity. This increased cellular energy may gield immune system modulation, pain relief, wound healing ad nerve regeneration. It may also cause a change in the cell membrane’s permeability to nitric oxide and calcium ions, and stimulate the realse of growth factors. This in turn appears to laed to a number of secondary and tertiary clinic effects, namely:

• Increases lymphatic flow which may lead to a reduced swelling.
• Production of endorphins which often results in pain relief
• Increased collateral circulation and microcirculation which facilitates wound healing
• Stimulation of osteoblasts and odontoblasts which stimulates the production of bone and dentin.
• Increased activity of neutrophils and macrophages which aids in the immune response and growth factor release
• Also of interest is that research has shown laser light will have no effect on healthy tissue, only damaged sick cells.

Clinical Applications of Low Level Laser Therapy

Low Level Laser Therapy has been shown over the years to be an essential tool for many treatment modalities and the dental field is no exception. Here are some typical applications of low level therapy:

• Soft Tissue Lesions:Low Level Laster has shown success in reducing pain and preventing lesions from developing if the laser is applied during the prodromal stage. A decreased recurrence rate has also been reported.
• Implants:In addition to helping reduction of post-surgical pain, osseointegration is accelerated to owing to stimulation of osteoblasts.
• Orthodontics:Low Level Laser may increase the speed of treatment because of the stimulation of osteoblasts. A recent study showed a significant decrease in pain, along with an increased velocity of tooth movement.
• Dentin Hypersensitivity:Treatment with Low Level Laser first to provide analgesia, then follow with an application of dentin primer and bond. Success rates of 85% have been reported. This may be due to the photography’s ability to reduce conduction of C-fibers, which carry pulpal pain, as well as stimulation of B-endorphins.
• Safety Of Low Level Laser Therapy:There are no clinical significant side-effects to Low Level Laser Therapy. A substantial body of sound scientific date has shown this technology to be safe and effective.

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Low Level Laser Therapy

1. Is this treatment going to hurt?:Everyone is different however, ur office believes in gentle dental care so we will provide you with any necessary anesthetics, either topical that we pain onto the gym pocket of actually provide you with an injection to insure that you are totally comfortable with the procedure. One of the remarkable benefits of using the laser is how non-invasive and comfortable the procedure is.
2. Am I going to have pain afterwards?:This is the advantage of using the laser, as it is very non-invasive.
3. How are you going to get the infection out of there?:A unique capability of the laser is that it decontaminates/disinfects the infected pocket space by dehydrating the bacteria and literally killing it.
4. Are you going to be removing my gums?:The dehydrating effects of the laser cause the bacteria and debris in the picket to be removed similar to exfoliation created during a facial. It’s like rubbing dry skin off your feet during a pedicure.
5. How often do I have to come in?:Due to the nature of periodontal disease and the ability of each individuals host immune response treatment an management of this infection requires a closely monitored system which we will determine specifically based on how your body heals. In the past, we didn’t have the availability of laser technology so the bodies healing response was always in competition with the bacteria that were left in the pocket. The laser kills the organisms leaving the body and gives it a better opportunity to heal from the infection.
6. How long will it take?:Time requires varies by patient.
7. Are you qualified to do this treatment?:As you know, we always want to provide out patients with the highest quality of care. Therefore, we have taken the necessary continuing education to take us to the next level in providing you with the latest technology. Due to this commitment, we are so excited to be able to offer you the latest advancements in modern technology.
8. Will my insurance cover this laser therapy?:Most companies offer some level of support regarding the treatment of periodontal disease. How much your actual policy provides is related directly to your individual policy.
9. Will the laser cure my infection forever?:Dental research is working on understanding all the various components associated with treating and possibly stopping this infection in its entirety. What the laser does is not only disinfect the pocket space but it initiates the body's own immune response to healing, creating a better environment of management of this disease than ever before.
10. Will I be able to eat after the treatment?:If the dental anesthetics were used you will need to wait to eat until the numbness wears away. We would like you to stay away from rough and crunchy foods (tacos, chips, fried foods, hard bread, etc.) and anything acidic (vinegar dressing, salsa, citrus, etc.). Other than that, there are no restrictions with foods.