BOSTON -- Advances in laser technology are making getting dental implants practically painless for patients.
Linda Lordan has had dental implants for much of her life. This time, her dentist took a less painful approach to the procedure, reported WCVB-TV in Boston.
"I felt no pain at all. No pain, no discomfort from the beginning to the end," she said.
Lordan's dentists used a laser, not a scalpel. With no cutting and no blood, Novocain is not necessary.
Lordan can go back to work with virtually no soreness right after the procedure.
"We've been able to shorten the time period from the time the implant is placed to the time the restoration is done, and the crown is placed and eliminate a lot of the discomfort that people associate with surgeries because we've eliminated the scalpel and bleeding which causes the discomfort," said Dr. Steven Spitz of SmileBoston.
While lasers are becoming more popular in treating everything from cavities to receding gums, Spitz said their use for implants is new. Only a handful of dentists use Waterlase, the device used in the laser procedures.
"There's a laser energy, and there's water," Spitz said. "And when the energy hits the water, the water molecules actually get excited and actually will take away tooth structure."
Spitz said he found that the body is able to heal much faster with the laser.
Dr. Jack Rosenberg, of Advanced Dental Care in Burlington, Mass., said the biggest benefit of the lasers may be putting his patients at ease.
"Going to the dentist can be just another thing they have to do and not something they need to dread," he said.
Some laser dental procedures are covered by dental insurance, but patients should check with their carrier before having the procedure done.
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Video: Laser Takes Bite Out Of Pain 
