Biolase: Waterlase and Ezlase

Frequently Asked Patient Questions about
Waterlase Dentistry

Why Waterlase Dentistry™?

Doctors have used lasers for years to provide better care for their patients – in LASIK vision correction, for removing skin blemishes, and in all kinds of surgery. Now, thanks to your dentist, you can benefit from advanced laser technology for your dental care, with Waterlase Dentistry.

Your dentist has chosen to invest in Waterlase to provide you with the highest standard of dental care. Here are some of the benefits you will experience with Waterlase:

More Comfortable

Waterlase Dentistry uses laser energy and a gentle spray of water to perform a wide range of dental procedures – without the heat, vibration and pressure associated with the dental drill. With many procedures, it’s possible to use less anesthetic, and often no anesthetic at all.

More Convenient

Your Waterlase Dentist can often get you in and out of the dentist chair faster, since it’s less likely that you’ll need an injection – research shows that the vast majority of patients don’t. It’s nice to avoid that shot, isn’t it? Not using anesthetic can allow your dentist to perform procedures that used to require more than one visit in a single appointment. Also, a Waterlase Dentist can perform procedures that once meant an additional trip to a specialist, saving you even more time.

More Precise

A Waterlase Dentist can remove decay far more precisely than a dentist using a drill. This saves more of the healthy parts of your tooth. Saving your natural teeth can save you from the discomfort and cost of bridges, dentures and implants.

Improved Cavity Fillings

Waterlase® cavity preparations can increase bond strength of tooth-colored restoration resulting in longer-lasting fillings.

Less Bleeding and Swelling

Due to its conservative, gentle cutting action and coagulating capabilities, the Waterlase® performs many procedures on the gums with little or no bleeding and less post-op swelling.

Is Waterlase Dentistry Safe?

Waterlase Dentistry is one of the most advanced dental technologies available today. It was developed by BIOLASE Technology, the leader in dental lasers. BIOLASE dental lasers have been used to treat millions of patients.

A Waterlase laser creates special, highly concentrated light energy, and sends it through an optical fiber to its handpiece. Your dentist uses the handpiece to aim the laser energy at precisely the areas to be treated. Some laser systems combine the laser energy with a gentle spray of water.

Waterlase Dentistry was developed specifically to repair decayed and damaged teeth, and treat gum and other soft tissue in the mouth safely and comfortably. It can be harmful to eyes, however, so anyone in the treatment room when the laser is being used must wear special protective glasses.

How does Waterlase Dentistry™ Work?

Your dentist’s Waterlase® laser system combines laser energy and a spray of water in a patented technology called Hydrophotonics™ to perform a wide range of dental procedures on teeth, gum and bone more comfortably.

What can Waterlase Dentistry™ Do?

If the dentist uses the Waterlase MD, C100 or earlier Waterlase hard and soft tissue lasers:

Waterlase Dentistry can be used for many types of dental restorations, including:

• Class I, II, III, IV and V cavity preparation
• Caries removal
• Hard tissue surface roughening or etching
• Enameloplasty, excavation of pits and fissures for placement of sealants

Tooth enamel is the hardest material in the human body. No wonder dentists have always resorted to tough tools like the high-speed drill to work on it. Waterlase Dentistry™ is a gentler way to prepare restorations. From the moment then dentist begins to work with Waterlase Dentistry, the patient will feel the difference!

If the dentist uses the Waterlase MD, C100 or earlier Waterlase all-tissue lasers, or the ezlase, Diolase Plus or LaserSmile soft tissue lasers:

We may use Waterlase Dentistry laser to treat gums or any other soft tissue in the mouth to:

Improve a Patient’s Smile

We may suggest contouring or shaping a patient’s gums using Waterlase Dentistry to improve the appearance of their smile – safely removing excess gum tissue that may give them a “gummy” smile, or make their front teeth appear irregular in size or shape.

Remove Oral Growths

We may use Waterlase Dentistry to remove growths or excess tissue in a patient’s mouth including gum tissue over an unerupted tooth, small “tags” called papilla, and growths called fibromas.

Fix a “Tongue Tie” or Prevent Gum Recession

Connections that restrict the movement of a patient’s tongue or cause their gums to recede can be “released” with Waterlase Dentistry.

Treat Periodontal Disease

Waterlase Dentistry can be used to remove debris and bacteria between a patient’s teeth and gums that can cause bleeding gums, gum recession and even loss of teeth. Waterlase Dentistry has been shown to reduce bacteria and may even stimulate gum tissue growth.

Relieve the Pain of Cold Sores and Fever Blisters

Waterlase Dentistry often provides immediate relief from painful cold sores and fever blisters. We may also use a Waterlase laser to perform other procedures not listed here.

Learn more about Biolase technology.