What Can Laser Therapy Treat?

Lasers are concentrated light beams that can slice through steel and pinpoint microscopic human tissues. This powerful technology has revolutionized many industries, including dentistry. However, it takes additional education, considerable skill, and years of experience to wield laser technology safely and accurately, so not all dentists offer laser treatments.

In Houston, Texas, one of the leading laser dentistry experts, Anna M. Munné, DDS, PA, & ASSOCIATES, specializes in laser therapy, providing our patients with the most advanced and effective treatments. Here’s a look at what we can do with lasers and how you can benefit.

Teeth whitening

Teeth whitening is nothing new, but not all whiteners work the same. Some whitening toothpaste contains baking soda or charcoal abrasives that scrub away stains. Others contain carbamide, a bleaching solution, but it’s only safe to use products with a low concentration (10% carbamide) at home because the bleach can damage your gums. The weak formula means the process is slow and only mildly effective. 

Dr. Munné uses a powerful bleaching agent and protects your gums from contact, then applies laser energy to the gel solution to activate the bleach and target deeply set stains quickly, safely, and efficiently.

Gum disease

Gum disease not only wreaks havoc in your mouth; it can also enter your blood system and affect your heart. It starts as mild plaque buildup on your teeth, and if you don’t follow a good oral hygiene routine, the bacteria in the plaque creeps down below your gum line. The first stage is called gingivitis, a treatable and reversible form of gum disease. 

The advanced stage is called periodontitis, an infection that seeps into the supporting tissues and bones that keep your teeth in place. The traditional treatment for gum diseases is scaling and planing using metal dental tools that scrape away the plaque, bacteria, and hardened tartar from your teeth and their roots. Sometimes surgery, gum tissue grafting, and sutures are necessary. 

However, Dr. Munné can perform these procedures using laser therapy to access and remove diseased tissues and clear away tartar. Your gums still need to heal, but unlike scaling, planing, and surgery, you’ll experience only minor bleeding and pain, quicker healing, and less risk of infection.

Nerve problems

Occasionally, nerve damage or neuropathy occurs after oral surgery, such as a root canal, extraction, or dental implantation, causing tingling, numbness, hypersensitivity, and pain. Often, nerves heal independently within a couple of months, but when the problem becomes chronic, laser therapy can help.

Dr. Munné uses low-level lasers to target the affected nerves and address neuropathy. This is a non-invasive treatment that stimulates your body’s natural healing resources, resolving:

• Pain
• Inflammation
• Infection
• Hypersensitivity
• Bruising

The laser's light energy triggers a biological response that promotes new cell turnover and encourages healing.

Slow-healing wounds

Extractions, implants, and other invasive procedures leave incisions and wounds. While mouth trauma typically heals quickly, you may have a wound or lesion that won’t seem to close, and that’s where laser therapy comes in.

Lasers stimulate internal healing, including a flood of collagen that rebuilds and repairs the damaged tissues, boosting your slow-healing wounds.

Contact us online or by phone to schedule an appointment with Dr. Munné and discuss your laser therapy options.