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620 California Blvd Suite G, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401Located in the California Medical Center

Laser Dentistry – San Luis Obispo, CA

The Future of Dental Care is Now

What is Solea?

Solea laser system

Solea is the first CO2 dental laser system cleared by the FDA for hard- and soft-tissue procedures. It offers a unique wavelength guided by sophisticated computers to deliver virtually painless dental procedures for both teeth and gums, from simple cavities to more complex surgeries. Aside from causing virtually no pain, Solea isn’t associated with noise or vibration, either. Thanks to Solea, the majority of kids who come in for fillings and other restorative care do not need local anesthesia or sedation at all.

How will a laser benefit my child?

Child receiving dental treatment

With Solea, we no longer need to numb our patients for routine restorative work, such as fillings. Under traditional methods of dentistry, children must be numbed using local anesthesia for these procedures. We have found that many children do not react well to having numbness, which can last for hours after the procedure. Even though they often do well for the procedure and the actually numbing, the lingering numbness and return of sensation can be quite uncomfortable. Furthermore, no kid likes the idea of getting a shot regardless of if it may be minimally sensitive. By using Solea, most children don’t feel like they’ve had dental treatment at all.

Does it cost more to use the laser?

Dental laser system

We implemented the laser into our dental office in 2015 for a simple reason -- because we believe our patients deserve the very best treatment available. As such, we do not charge an additional fee for using this technology. Our goal is to ensure that we are providing the most comfortable and highest level of care possible to help children develop a lifelong commitment to regular dental care. Laser dentistry helps!

Numerous Benefits of Laser Dentistry

The benefits associated with Solea are many. Some of the most significant advantages of laser dentistry include...

  • The majority of hard- and soft-tissue procedures are completed without local anesthesia (numbing), and soft-tissue procedures occur with virtually no bleeding.
  • Laser dentistry is incredibly precise and often is able to achieve a more conservative restoration.
  • Using the Solea laser is far less invasive than any cutting instrument, which makes healing time following a procedure much shorter.
  • When patients have local anesthesia they typically leave the dental office still feeling that numb sensation. With Solea, your little one will be able to go right to lunch or back to school without that numbness associated with dental work.

Virtually pain-free dentistry is possible with the super-concentrated power of the laser. Solea is truly changing what it means to go to the dentist!

Laser Frenectomies for Lip and Tongue-Ties

Laughing mother and baby

If you and your baby are struggling with breastfeeding, a tiny piece of oral tissue could be to blame. Underneath the tongue and upper lip, you may find a tissue (called a frenulum) connecting the lip to the upper arch and the tongue to the floor of the mouth. When a frenulum is too tight or restrictive, we call it tongue-tie or lip-tie.

The procedure that removes this small fold of tissue under the upper lip or underneath the tongue is called a frenectomy. At Coastal Pediatric Dentistry, we take advantage of laser technology for frenectomies, which is much gentler and more effective than traditional treatment.

How Do Lip and Tongue-Ties Develop?

breastfeeding mom having trouble with the baby’s lip or tongue-tie

Believe it or not, all babies have a frenulum while they are developing in the womb; however, most lose this tissue before birth while some keep it. As a result, the tongue cannot be raised high enough to achieve suction on the nipple while nursing. In addition to difficulty latching, you may also notice clicking noises or have sore nipples from your baby biting down if they have a tongue or lip-tie.

Why is it Important to Treat Lip & Tongue-Ties?

crying newborn that needs a frenectomy

Tongue and lip-ties can cause issues breastfeeding, encourage decay, cause growth and development or orthodontic problems, and more as time goes on. Tongue and lip-ties occasionally can sometimes occur together and make it difficult for the baby to latch on during feeding. If left untreated a lip or tongue-tie can also lead to speech impediments and sleep apnea. Overall, taking care of this problem as early as possible can enable your baby to thrive and have better oral function.

Lip & Tongue-Tie Treatment

happy baby after their lip or tongue-tie was treated

As a result of the Solea laser, frenectomies are much easier and better than they used to be. With this device, it is possible for Dr. Forester to quickly, painlessly, and effectively complete the frenectomy under the tongue or upper lip to allow for better range of motion -- for healthier babies and happier parents. Basically immediately after a laser frenectomy, an infant is fully able to latch and feed in the most efficient manner.