New technology eases recovery time in many dental procedures
For dental patients, the whine of the drill or sight of the scalpel is sometimes worse than the procedure itself. Young and old alike often cringe when these crude devices descend toward their vulnerable chompers.
But at the Western Avenue periodontal practice of Dr. Reed Ference, many patients get a relative treat in a new piece of equipment: a Waterlase system that negates the need for metal to even touch the gums.
Things have really changed since I got out of my program in ’87, said Ference. `The last 15 to 20 years have been revolutionary.`
As a periodontist, Dr. Ference uses the Waterlase system primarily to cut, but it can also be used as a drill in other disciplines. Though one would imagine it’s the laser doing the work, in actuality the laser energy is focusing and propelling a water feed. When concentrated, the water acts like a super-sharp, ultra-precise knife.
The system is capable of making extremely accurate cuts down to 0.2 mm in width, but still packs enough power to slice through bone. Additionally, the laser energy can be turned up to provide heat to the area, quickly cauterizing incisions and killing bacteria.
All this not only makes for a quicker recovery time, but for a faster procedure.
It’s also less painful, so the need for anesthetics is lessened when compared to scalpel-driven surgeries. The reaction is different because of the precision, said Demetri Ballas, of the Waterlase maker Biolase.
`It’s so gentle on the body that the body doesn’t think it’s being injured,` he said. `When you’re using lasers to cut soft tissue there’s no swelling.`
Ballas said it’s unusual for a periodontist to purchase a Waterlase system, partly because of its cost and partly because it makes expensive surgeries less necessary.
`He’s a specialist who does care what people think about them,` he said of Ference. `He’s definitely an innovator, definitely a nice breath of fresh air.`
Waterlase is only used by a few practitioners in the Capital District, but it’s been in use overseas for some time. Its established history and performance makes Ference comfortable dropping $60,000 on the system.
`I’m not a gadgeteer. I don’t adopt a technology unless it’s proven,` he said.
Still, the tool is just the latest addition to the periodontist’s high-tech arsenal. Doctors can now grow bone grafts for teeth and genetically engineer gum tissues, for example.
But in some cases, advances in technology have not helped everyone. Generally considered a treatment for the old, Ference has been seeing more people in their late 20s and 30s in his periodontics practice. Many of them have not maintained proper teeth and gum health, in part because they believe more widespread fluoride use and advances in over-the-counter dental care products protect them from seeing a dentist regularly.
`I’m seeing a lot of younger people that need implants,` Ference said. `Some patients have been lulled into a false sense of security.`
Like heart disease, he continued, your teeth and gums can degrade without major symptoms. And if it doesn’t hurt, most won’t go out of their way to get it fixed.
As a periodontist, Ference is usually referred by other dentists, and sees about 35 to 40 patients a month. He has had offices at his Western Avenue location for three years, having previously practiced at St. Peter’s Hospital, and resides in Bethlehem.“
