Laser Waterlase iPlus 2.0

The Waterlase iPlus 2.0 laser is a very accurate, precise and gentle tool using a combination of laser water-spray and technology. The laser beam energizes a spray of water and air. As the water droplets become laser-energized by absorbing the laser energy, water particles that, when directed at the tooth, soft or hard tissue have incredible precision and efficiency. It is able to cut through all types of tissue including tooth, gum tissue and bone so that dental procedures can be performed more comfortably and with vastly improved outcomes.

There are many remarkable advantages to both dentist and patient apart from the ability to do more procedures without the drill.

The laser has the capability to disinfect whilst working which is one of the greatest advantages for us. It is capable of cleaning the interior of a root canal 10 times more effectively than any other device, drastically improving outcomes. When used during gum (periodontal treatment) the laser can reach areas where other dental instruments cannot and also initiate regeneration of the tissue.

During surgery the benefits of the laser are astonishing due to greatly reducing trauma to the tissues. Not only does it seal off blood vessels the laser sterilises the affected area too. This minimizes the chance of infection and bleeding after surgery. The outcomes are therefore vastly improved where patients are far more comfortable both during and after treatment.

Lasers of this type actually promote healing. Patients with advanced bone and gum disease (periodontal disease) have seen how the laser stops any further progression of the condition and actually initiates regeneration of the surrounding tissues. In the past, this could only be considered with invasive surgical procedures.

You may ask what it cannot do. Well, it cannot remove metal fillings or certain base fillings and it cannot prepare teeth for crowns and bridges. For this, more traditional techniques will be required.

It is the fear and anxiety for many people that stops them going to the dentist. Many of those who are apprehensive about visiting the dentist list the dentist drill as their main fear. Waterlase iPlus 2.0 laser dentistry makes no contact with your tooth and does not transmit vibration or heat. We all know the noise from a dental drill can send shivers down one’s spine. All you hear from this laser are quiet, little "pops", reminiscent of popcorn popping.

Waterlase iPlus 2.0 offers accurate treatment, far surpassing drill treatment and without the generation of heat or using pressure. During procedures teeth can sometimes overheat using conventional drills inducing discomfort and irreversibly damaging the soft tissue or pulp underneath. As a result of the pin point accuracy of the laser, it can be used a lot more conservatively. This leads to less invasive tissue removal whilst perform the various procedures. There is little or no discomfort experienced by patients during treatments, less bleeding and a shorter recovery time.

In many cases the need for injections is vastly reduced, and in some cases not required at all, as well as any related side effects. This enables us at Progressive Dentistry to combine procedures hence completing more procedures in less time, fewer visits and less trauma. What could be better!

Hard Tissue Applications

• Class I, II, III, IV and V cavity preparation
• Caries removal
• Hard tissue surface roughening or etching
• Enameloplasty, excavation of pits and fissures for placement of sealants

Soft Tissue Applications

• Soft Tissue Procedures Including Pulpal Tissues
• Excisional and incisional biopsies
• Exposure of unerupted teeth
• Fibroma removal
• Flap preparation - incision of soft tissue to prepare a flap and expose the bone
• Flap preparation - incision of soft tissue to prepare a flap and expose unerupted teeth (hard and soft tissue impactions)
• Frenectomy and frenotomy
• Gingival troughing for crown impressions
• Gingivectomy
• Gingivoplasty
• Gingival incision and excision
• Hemostasis
• Implant recovery
• Incision and drainage of abscesses
• Laser soft tissue curettage of the post-extraction tooth sockets and the periapical are during apical surgery
• Leukoplakia
• Operculectomy
• Oral papillectomies
• Pulpotomy
• Pulp extirpation
• Pulpotomy as an adjunct to root canal therapy
• Root canal debridement and cleaning
• Reduction of gingival hypertrophy
• Removal of pathological tissues (i.e., cysts, neoplasm or abscess) and hyperplastic tissues (i.e., granulation tissue) from around the apex
• Soft tissue crown lengthening
• Sulcular debridement (removal of diseased and inflamed soft tissue)
• Treatment of canker sores, herpetic and aphthous ulcers of the oral Mucosa
• Vestibuloplasty

Bone Surgical Procedures

• Cutting, shaving, contouring and resection of oral osseous tissues (bone)
• Osteotomy

Root Canal/Endodontic Procedures

• Laser root canal disinfection after endodontic treatment
• Tooth preparation to obtain access to root canal
• Root canal preparation including enlargement
• Root canal debridement and cleaning
• Flap preparation - incision of soft tissue to prepare a flap and expose the bone
• Cutting bone to prepare a window access to the apex (apices) of the roots
• Apicoectomy
• Root end preparation for retrofill amalgam or composite
• Removal of pathological tissues (i.e., cysts, neoplasm or abscess) and hyperplastic tissue (i.e, granulation tissue) from around the apex

Laser Periodontal Procedures

• Waterlase iPlus 2.0 assisted new attachment procedure (cementum-mediated periodontal ligament new attachment to the root surface in the absence of long junctional epithelium).
• Full thickness flap
• Partial thickness flap
• Split thickness flap
• Laser soft tissue curettage
• Laser removal of diseased, infected, inflamed and necrosed soft tissue within the periodontal pocket
• Removal of highly inflamed edematous tissue affected by bacteria penetration of the pocket lining and junctional epithelium
• Removal of granulation tissue from bony defects
• Sulcular debridement (removal of diseased or inflamed soft tissue in the periodontal pocket to improve clinical indices including gingival index, gingival bleeding index, probe depth, attachment loss and tooth mobility)
• Osteoplasty and osseous recontouring (removal of bone to correct osseous defects and create physiologic osseous contours)
• Ostectomy (resection of bone to restore bony architecture, resection of bone for grafting, etc.)
• Osseous crown lengthening
• Removal of subgingival calculi in periodontal pockets with periodontitis by closed or open curettage