LightScalpel CO₂ Laser | Tongue Tie and Lip Tie Releases
At Wing Dental in Peace River, the comfort and care of the patient is a priority. This is why Dr. Winston Wing and his team actively seek out new dental technology.
“With the LightScalpel CO₂ Laser, I’m getting excellent and very dramatic results for my soft tissue surgeries,” said Dr. Wing.
Using the laser, Dr. Wing performs tongue tie and lip tie releases, also known as frenectomies.
“We perform releases for babies, children and adults—a whole spectrum of ages,” said Dr. Wing.
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What are Tongue Ties and Lip Ties?
Tongue tie is a condition where the tissue that connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth restricts the movement of the tongue.
Similarly, a lip tie occurs when the tissue connecting the lips and gums is too short or tight.
Tongue and lip ties can affect a baby’s ability to properly latch during breastfeeding. It can also cause oral hygiene issues, speech issues and affect the bite and the structure of the mouth.
Dr. Wing explains how lip and tongue ties are more than just a piece of extra tissue that affects their ability to function like lick an ice cream cone.
“The mouth functions the way it does for a reason,” said Dr. Wing. “Your tongue for instance, is connected to how your jaw bones and facial bones grow. It can affect the position of your teeth, growth development, feeding nutrition, airway breathing and sleeping. It’s more than just a little piece of tissue. It can affect your whole body.”
Other medical practitioners may perform frenectomies, and historically, a scalpel blade or scissors were used.
With the scalpel/scissor technique, the surgery can be more painful, include more bleeding, and result in a wound that takes longer to heal.
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What is the LightScalpel CO₂ Laser?
The LightScalpel CO₂ Laser produces a highly-focused beam of light that precisely vaporizes tissue while sealing blood vessels at the same time. It’s used for incisions, excisions, vaporization, ablation or coagulation of soft tissue.
“Using this CO₂ laser for my procedures has made it much faster, easier, and better for myself as the dentist but especially for the patients.” said Dr. Wing.
When used effectively, the LightScalpel CO₂ Laser’s light interacts with the tissue, but it does not cause mechanical trauma to the tissue.
The coagulation zone is very narrow (as little as 50 microns—almost the width of a human hair). The CO₂ laser has the unique ability to vaporize or “erase” tissue. It can be used to make incisions as well as remove unhealthy tissue.
“This is the exact same laser used by oral surgeons, plastic surgeons and dermatologists, ENTs, ophthalmologists, podiatrists, gynecologists, neurosurgeons and veterinarians,” said Dr. Wing.
The CO₂ laser is so precise that it can selectively remove only a few cells at a time if needed. At the same time, it is powerful enough to de-bulk the largest of tumors.
“There are many dental procedures I can perform with my LightScalpel CO₂ Laser. I can use it for my dental implants, periodontal treatments and gingivectomies,” said Dr. Wing. “This laser technology really shines when it comes to intraoral and extraoral soft tissue surgeries.”
Dr. Wing can also use the CO₂ laser to remove lip fibromas.
“I’ve been able to carefully remove lip fibromas and treat hemangiomas—purple, venous lake bumps on the lips—with fantastic results. We are also able to treat cold sores and canker sores to minimize the pain associated with them, and we can speed up the
healing,” said Dr. Wing.
What are the advantages?
A frenectomy is quick and gentle and can improve a patient’s overall quality of life.
“My frenectomy surgeries can literally take seconds to perform, and it’s amazing how quickly they heal,” said Dr. Wing. “It’s a fantastic technology.”
Unlike traditional surgery with a scalpel or scissors, which can bruise or crush the tissue, only an intense beam of laser light interacts with the tissue, so there’s no mechanical trauma.
A LightScalpel CO₂ Laser frenectomy is, in most cases, bloodless and requires no sutures or stitches.
“The clinical benefits of using my CO₂ laser are for my patients. There’s a lot less pain during surgeries and a lot less bleeding. I have much better precision, surgical control and quicker healing results,” said Dr. Wing.
Compared to traditional methods, a LightScalpel CO₂ Laser frenectomy also results in less swelling and scarring. It reduces the risk of infection, results in smoother recoveries and requires a shorter procedure time.
“I have used other laser technologies in my office and throughout my 30 years of dental practice for soft tissue surgeries, especially lip and tongue tie releases. And, the LightScalpel CO₂ Laser is the best I have ever used,” said Dr. Wing.
To learn more or to schedule an appointment, visit wingdental.com or call Wing Dental today at 780-624-9464.