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When performing a procedure with a soft tissue laser, Dr. Julia and Dr. Chun usually do not need to use numbing needles or sedation. This is because the laser “cauterizes” the flesh it touches on contact, sealing nerve endings and ensuring a pain-free experience.
Your child will not have to experience any pain or discomfort during their treatment in Cypress or Katy, which makes it easier for them to get the care they need, even if they’re anxious about an upcoming appointment.
Because the soft tissue laser seals up the tissue it contacts, this reduces bleeding significantly, and virtually eliminates the need for sutures. This simplifies your child’s procedure, helps with faster healing, and reduces the need for follow-up appointments at our Cypress dental office.
Because your child will have a more smooth, comfortable, and pain-free experience, they will be less likely to develop feelings of fear or anxiety about dentistry, especially since Dr. Chu and Dr. Julia specialize in kind, caring pediatric dentistry.
Soft tissue lasers use a special machine to generate a very high-powered light. This light is sent through a clear fiber-optic tip, which it heats up to an extremely high temperature. The tip of the laser is so hot that it basically “vaporizes” gum tissue and other soft tissue upon contact.
This means that it can be used as an alternative to other cutting tools like scalpels or surgical scissors to remove soft tissue from the mouth in a variety of dental treatments.
Soft tissue lasers can be used in any procedure where soft tissue from the tongue, cheeks, gums, or any other part of the mouth must be removed. In kids, dental lasers at our Cypress or Katy offices are often used to perform frenectomies for tongue and lip ties, to remove canker sores, and to reshape the gums or remove gum tissue for certain orthodontic treatments.
As mentioned, numbing and sedation are not usually necessary for most treatments using a soft tissue laser, but we do offer them if your child is anxious or you think they could benefit from additional anesthesia during their appointment.
Dr. Julia or Dr. Chun will begin the procedure by heating up the tip of the soft tissue laser. Once it’s ready, they will begin your child’s treatment. The specifics of this vary depending on your child’s treatment, such as a frenectomy for a tongue tie or the removal of a canker sore.
Once your child’s treatment is done in Cypress, you’ll be given instructions on how to care for your child’s mouth and what to expect after treatment. While soft tissue lasers are much less invasive than traditional dental tools, you will still need to take a few special steps to make sure your child’s healing and recovery go smoothly.
At your child’s consultation, we examine their mouth and take x–rays if necessary to determine if they can be treated with soft tissue lasers.
If your child is nervous, we can offer dental sedation to put them at ease. Our soft tissue laser is painless but topical anesthetic is sometimes used before applying the laser to the gums.
After developing a treatment plan for your child, a high-frequency beam of light will be applied to your child’s soft tissue. This is a non-invasive way to treat gum disease, perform frenectomies, perform crown lengthening, and much more.
Because the laser cauterizes the soft tissue, there is no bleeding or need for stitches. Your child has a reduced likelihood of infection from laser treatment. The dentist will explain how to care for your child’s mouth after laser treatment.
This ultimately depends on the specific reason that your child is undergoing laser treatment. Laser therapy for gum disease takes much longer than lasers that are used to perform frenectomies, for example.
The LANAP procedure used to treat gum disease can take two sessions which are 3-4 hours each. However, a laser frenectomy will only take about 15 minutes. The best way to find out what to expect from laser surgery and how long it will take is to come in for a consultation with Dr. Julia or Dr. Chun.
After examining your child and discussing your concerns, we can formulate a treatment plan that works best for you, or we can discuss alternative options. Contact us at (832) 305-6507 for more information.
After your child's laser frenectomy, they may experience some minor swelling and tenderness in the first 24 hours. You will see a little white, yellow, or brown bump at the site of the frenectomy. It is normal for your baby to experience some difficulty in breastfeeding post-frenectomy procedure.
Discuss pain management with your child’s pediatric dentist in Cypress and Katy. Children under 6 months old usually do not require any medication. However, older children may take age-appropriate Tylenol or Motrin and should avoid irritating foods and drinks that are spicy, salty, or acidic.
However, this usually only lasts for about 30 to 45 minutes. To prevent reattachment of the severed tissue, you will need to help your child perform mouth stretches and exercises multiple times a day for a few weeks. It can also be beneficial to rub the area.
Initially, some bleeding at the site of the frenectomy is not uncommon. Your child’s dentist will show you how to perform these stretches, how often to perform them, and for how long. Generally, it’s important to stretch the tongue or upper lip 4-5 times a day. The laser reduces swelling, inflammation, and bleeding as much as possible.
While this touching and stretching of the area may cause some discomfort in your child which we understand can be distressing, this is for their long-term best interest.
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