News

Local dentist pioneers new CO2 laser

Faster healing time, less pain are advantages

October 25, 2010 | Category: News Releases

AUSTIN— Local dentist Dr. Michael Bell has added a CO₂ laser to his arsenal of high-technology dental tools.  The DEKA CO₂ laser makes it possible in many cases to perform dental implants without the use of a scalpel, which is the typical procedure. The use of the laser allows very small incisions with minimal trauma, no bleeding, and shorter procedure time. Patients report much greater comfort levels as well as faster healing with the use of the laser.

The CO₂ laser can also be used for biopsies, with benefits to the patient including no sutures or post-surgery antibiotics needed, faster healing time and no scarring.

“The CO₂ laser is an amazing technological advancement for performing dental surgery and dental implants,” Dr. Bell says.  “This provides a great advantage to our patients, and we also anticipate working with physicians in fields such as cardiology, transplants and orthopedics with their patients who require dental therapy to reduce risks of infection that might spread from the mouth before other types of major surgery. The CO₂ laser decontaminates the surgical area and creates an optimal environment for healing.”

In addition, there are no restrictions for the CO₂ laser in cases of conditions including pregnancy, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, transplants, pacemakers, or any cardiovascular disease.

One of Dr. Bell’s patients, David Schuette, can testify to the dramatic difference between getting dental implants the old way and having the implants with the CO₂ laser. “I’m the comparison guy,” Schuette says. “I had the first implant one week with regular incisions, and a second implant two weeks later with the laser. The first implant was more painful, the area was swollen for several days, and in general had a bigger impact on my body,” he says. “The laser surgery is literally light years ahead. It took less time, there was no bleeding, and recovery time was much shorter.”

According to DEKA, the manufacturer of the $57,000 laser, the CO₂ laser is the best choice for performing dental surgery on soft tissue. The laser energy makes it possible to cut and vaporize the soft tissues without any bleeding, rendering it extremely valid for surgery in highly vascularised areas, such as the oral mucosa, palate, and tongue.

Dr. Bell has used a diode type laser in his practice for more than five years, but believes theCO2 laser has a much broader application for predictable post-operative results.  “I still use my diode laser, but only for disinfecting the inside of root canals where the diode fiber optic tip can reach to the tip of the root.  The DEKA CO2 laser has many more applications and benefits for our patients.”

With the development of microprocessors, the energy pulse of the CO2 lasers can be “super pulsed,” which gives the tissue recovery time to dissipate the laser energy.  This allows a major improvement in working speed and efficiency on soft tissue, with minimal thermal damage to the treated tissues.  Result:  faster healing and more comfortable outcomes.

For more information, go to www.mbelldds.com or call 512-327-7750.

About Dr. Michael C. Bell, DDS

Dr. Michael C. Bell, DDS, is a nationally recognized practitioner of general and cosmetic dentistry in Austin, Texas. He was recently voted one of the Top Dentists in Austin Monthly Magazine and was honored for the fifth year in a row as one of Texas Monthly’s Super Dentists. Dr. Bell has been a practicing dentist for more than 32 years, focusing on general and cosmetic dentistry, including dental implants. Dr. Bell and his team are known for their use of the latest technology to provide complete and accurate diagnoses of dental conditions, as well as patient comfort and safety. For more information, go to www.mbelldds.com or call 512-327-7750.

For more information, contact:
Brenda Thompson, 512-461-5644
brenda@brendathompson.com