Fotana Lightwalker Laser
Light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation- LASER, sounds like a complex term but humans have known and used light for healing for centuries.
Lasers in dentistry have simplified dental procedures, reducing chairside time and discomfort for patients and helped in conserving the hard tissues and soft tissues. The different wavelengths and frequencies can achieve various results and increase the scope of use in dentistry.
At Lotus dental, we have used diode lasers, and Webber lasers for several years for soft tissue surgeries and to treat pain.
In July 2022, we purchased the FOTONA Lightwalker laser. Lasers are changing the way we practice general dentistry today. The Lightwalker has several uses, below is a list of procedures that we do and how Lasers have simplified practicing dentistry.
Comfortlase / PBM / Photobiomodulation
This is a clinically proven, non-invasive solution for a wide variety of wound healing and pain management applications, offering procedures that are:
Highly effective at pain reduction
Non-invasive with improved healing
Fast & simple
Patient and practitioner friendly
PBM utilises low-level, visible-red to near-infrared light energy, which stimulates cells to naturally heal, relieve pain and reduce inflammation. Additionally, the process results in accelerated tissue regeneration, stimulation of cell metabolism, increased lymphatic flow and stimulation of micro-circulation.
Laser Assisted Ceramic Crown / Bridge Removal
LightWalker’s Er:YAG wavelength allow for the transmittance of laser energy through veneer or orthodontic bracelets. Laser energy is in turn absorbed in the bonding material, which causes modification of its bonding strength, thus allowing for quick and painless removal with a significantly reduced risk of enamel fracture.
NightLase
This is now clinically proven laser treatment for increasing the quality of a patient’s sleep. NightLase reduces the effects of sleep apnea and decreases the amplitude of snoring by means of a gentle, laser-induced tightening effect caused by the contraction of collagen in the oral mucosa tissue.
Fotona’s patented Er:YAG laser modality optimises the length of laser pulses, allowing for the safe penetration of heat into the oral mucosa tissue. It is gentle enough to be used on the sensitive tissue inside the mouth, but strong enough to provide clinically efficacious heating.
A full course of NightLase consists of three separate treatment sessions over a six-week period. The results of the treatment have been shown to last up to a year, and the therapy can be repeated.
It works very well with proven results for improving snoring. It is used alongside with a MAD splint or CPAP to get great results for sleep disordered breathing and Obstructive sleep apnea.
This is a non-invasive, in-chair painless procedure which requires no anaesthesia.
Twinlase for Reducing Periodontal Pockets
This treatment is done with two lasers ER:YAG and ND:YAG. The ND:yag Laser is used to stimulate periodontal pocket epithelium and help reattach to the tooth surface. The ER:Yag Laser helps to prepare the tooth surface and make it smooth for reattachment of the gum.
The pocket depth reduces with great results and this avoids the need for oral surgery where a gum flap is raised and sutures are needed.
Laser Assisted Endontics
The SSP (Super Short Pulse) irrigation (also known as Photon Induced Photo-acoustic Streaming) uses the Er:YAG laser to create non-thermal photoacoustic waves within the cleaning and debriding solutions introduced in the canal. Following this photoacoustic treatment, the canals and sub canals are left clean, and the dentinal tubules are free of a smear layer.
The latest SWEEPS® (Shock Wave Enhanced Emission Photo-acoustic Streaming) Er:YAG is used to irrigate and disinfect root canals, by using synchronized pairs of ultra-short pulses, an accelerated collapse of laser-induced bubbles is achieved, leading to enhanced shockwave emission even inside the narrowest root canals.
Implantology
Fotona's dental lasers are the ideal tools for all hard- and soft-tissue treatments, including applications in implantology. They can be used for tooth extraction, which is less traumatic when preformed with a laser. Wounds heal better, and there is less bone loss, leading to faster and more predictable implantation. Laser treatment can also be used for second-stage surgery of submerged implants, as well as for the treatment of peri-implantitis.
Tooth Desensitisation
The tooth has two layers, the outer layer is the enamel and the inner layer is the dentin. Dentin has several nerve endings and becomes sensitive when it gets exposed to sweet, cold and hot temperatures. This generally happens when the enamel gets worn away or due to gum recession. One session with the ER:YAG laser is highly effective to be used to reduce this sharp pain or discomfort.
Tooth Whitening / Touchwhite
The Er:YAG wavelength is fully absorbed in the whitening gel, there is no direct heating of the underlying tooth. The whitening with LASER is very quick and gentle saving a lot of the chair side time.
Facial Aesthetics
Lightwalker enables us to treat a wide range of anti-aging procedures, along with lip enhancement, wrinkle removal, fibroma removal, removal of skin tags, acne removal, etc At Lotus, we use the Laser within the scope of dentistry.
Apart from the above uses, minimally invasive dentistry can be practiced with mostly no need for any Local aesthetic. The decay removal is very quick preserving the tooth structure as much as possible.
For more information visit www.fotona.com. Most of the information in this article is from www.fotona.com.
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