Laser Dentistry Archive - Dr. Mitchell A. Josephs' Blog

Archive for the ‘Laser Dentistry’ Category

Easy Removal of Ugly Purple “Lip Bumps”

Posted on: July 4th, 2012 by Dr. Mitchell Josephs No Comments

Dear Readers: Due to an overwhelming response from a recent column, I am repeating a topic for the first time in six years and 300+ columns.

Q: For several years now, we have had a growing, ugly purplish bump on our lower lips. What can be done about it? Michelle and Sol in Wellington

A: There is no doubt that the lower third of the face: teeth, gums, lips and chin, show one’s age the most. This happens to be the first area that one human focuses on another human. (And on some sub-humans, like my cousin Herb.)

A hemangioma, or venous lake; is a pooling of blood under the translucent skin of the lip. Many surgeons and dermatologists are cautious to remove these due to excessive bleeding, pain and possible scaring from incisions and sutures. The fastest, least invasive way to remove these puppies is with a diode laser, which many dentists already use in the mouth on a daily basis for periodontal treatment and just before crown and bridge impressions along the gum line. Dentist are the best trained to give injections inside the mouth to numb the area. (Many times topicals like Emla cream are not effective). Within 45 seconds the lesion will turn white and in about four weeks, your little purple friend will be gone. I will be covering this at my next lecture (see below).

EDITOR’S NOTE: Dr. Mitchell Josephs will be giving a FREE LECTURE on Incision-Free Dental Implant Surgery, Digital Crowns & Veneers, Choosing a Dental Office and NEW TOPIC: Laser Dentistry, at the Double Tree Hotel, PGA Blvd. in Palm Beach Gardens on Friday July 13^th at 10:00 AM. Attendees will receive a FREE copy of his book: “Tooth Talk”. Only 20 seats remain! Call today to register at 561-832-2917

Dr. Mitchell Josephs practices Cosmetic, Implant and General Dentistry in Palm Beach and hosts “Tooth Talk” on WBZT AM1230 (www.radiotoothtalk.com) Dr. Josephs is a Faculty Advisory Board member at McGill University’s Faculty of Dentistry and completed his residency at Manhattan’s Beth Israel Medical Center and Mt. Sinai Hospital.

____________________________________________________________

drjosephs@palmbeachdentist.com

44 Cocoanut Row, Palm Beach, FL 33480

888-DRTOOTH (888-378-6684)

www.palmbeachdentist.com

Non-Surgical Laser Periodontal Treatment

Posted on: July 3rd, 2012 by Dr. Mitchell Josephs No Comments

Q: I was told I need gum surgery by my periodontist and my general dentist. I see a lot of information on the web about the use of the laser vs. surgery, yet both my doctors do not use this procedure. Is it proven? Daniella in Boca

A: Allow me to let you in on a little personal secret. I had an itchy tush problem a while back. A real pain in the ass. I didn’t just get a second opinion, I got four. Problem solved. (Now half the medical community has seen a side of me they have never seen before. Some send me Holiday cards.)

L.A.N.A.P (Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure) is fairly well studied since 2004 as a less invasive, less painful alternative to the “ole scalpel and stiches” technique. After numbing, a glass fiber laser tip encircles the teeth, under the gum line, destroying the diseased inner lining of the periodontal pocket. Then ultrasonic scalers and hand instruments are used to remove the calculus (tarter) from the root surfaces. The laser then goes back in for a final “victory lap” to sterilize the pocket.

I will be covering this at my next lecture (see below) with some great videos and slides.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Dr. Mitchell Josephs will be giving a FREE LECTURE on Incision-Free Dental Implant Surgery, Digital Crowns & Veneers, Choosing a Dental Office and NEW TOPIC: Laser Dentistry, at the Double Tree Hotel, PGA Blvd. in Palm Beach Gardens on Friday July 13^th at 10:00 AM. Attendees will receive a FREE copy of his book: “Tooth Talk”. Only 39 seats remain. Call today to register at 561-832-2917

____________________________________________________________

drjosephs@palmbeachdentist.com

44 Cocoanut Row, Palm Beach, FL 33480

888-DRTOOTH (888-378-6684)

www.palmbeachdentist.com

Dental Laser Often Means No Need for Shots

Posted on: June 19th, 2012 by Dr. Mitchell Josephs No Comments

Q: I recently needed a crown on a tooth that already had a root canal. Why did the dentist still have to shoot me all up with shots of Novacaine all over again, even though the tooth had its nerve removed? Doris in Stuart

A: Recently I visited my favorite optometrist for an eye exam. (The guy is a dead-ringer for sounding and looking like actor Vince Vaughn). I was worried I was going to have my pupils dilated for the glaucoma test which would render me useless and looking like I was on drugs. Thankfully, his new technology measured my eye pressure with a blast of air with a really cool machine.

Traditionally, many dentists need to have you numb to either pack chords of thread or burn the tissue with an electrosurgery unit to retract the gum away from the tooth and stop any bleeding for an accurate impression. Many of my colleagues and myself now use a diode laser that performs the same task (called: laser troughing.), but without a need to anesthetize the patient. For a link to a video that demonstrates this, contact us.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Dr. Mitchell Josephs will be giving a FREE LECTURE on Incision-Free Dental Implant Surgery, Digital Crowns & Veneers, Choosing a Dental Office and NEW TOPIC: Laser Dentistry, at the Double Tree Hotel, PGA Blvd. in Palm Beach Gardens on Friday July 13^th at 10:00 AM. Attendees will receive a FREE copy of his book: “Tooth Talk”. Seating is limited to 50 attendees. Call today to register at 561-832-2917

____________________________________________________________

drjosephs@palmbeachdentist.com

44 Cocoanut Row, Palm Beach, FL 33480

888-DRTOOTH (888-378-6684)

www.palmbeachdentist.com