Dr. Lorne Lavine Dental Technology Consultants Printer Friendly Version

Life on the Cutting Edge
by Lorne Lavine, Dental Technology Consultants

Few people will argue that this is an exciting time for dentistry. Technology has moved the profession forward in ways that were unimaginable even 10 years ago. It’s impossible to open a dental journal and not see ads for the latest and greatest devices such as 3D cone-beam systems and CAD-CAM. One technology that has started to grow in popularity, but doesn’t seem to receive the same amount of press as the newer systems, is lasers. I firmly believe that lasers are poised for a huge growth spurt in the next few years, as they make a lot of sense for many practices.

1. First and foremost, unlike many of the newest high-tech systems out there, lasers have what is probably the easiest learning curve of any newer technology. Sure, hands-on training is recommended as it would be for any high-tech system, but these systems can be mastered by any dental professional in a short period of time. The laser, like a dental handpiece, is just an extension of the operator’s hands, and even low-tech practices can become proficient with a laser and start using them right away. In my experience, if you have the skills to make it through dental school, then you are more than qualified to learn how to use and master the use of a laser.

2. While many high-tech systems only have limited applications, lasers truly fit the bill for dentists and dental practices that do what I like to call “everyday dentistry.” This would apply to procedures that most clinicians see on a regular basis, such as frenectomies, treating subgingival decay, class I-VI restorations, etc. While some dentists will benefit from combination hard and soft tissue lasers like the Waterlase, with its enamel cutting abilities via a new Turbo handpiece, others who want to limit their work to soft-tissue procedures only would be well-served with a portable handheld laser like the new iLase. The point is, there’s a laser out there for every dentist, limited only by your imagination and your willingness to find a better way to do great dentistry.

3. Another area where lasers make a lot of sense is in control of bleeding. Most dentists will admit that bleeding can be the bane of their existence: it makes it hard to see, hard to work, and hard to take accurate impressions. This is one area where lasers truly shine, as bleeding can be stopped literally within a few seconds and allow dentists to do their best possible work. Many dentists who use lasers tell me that they have stopped using retraction cord to take impressions, as lasers can do everything retraction cord did, but more efficiently and with less pain.

4. Many practice management gurus preach the importance of “same-day dentistry” - the ability to start and complete procedures for patients so that we don’t require them to return. In our still-down economy, there’s little doubt that anything we can do to maximize our efficiency will help the bottom line. By using lasers properly, it allows practitioners to do more procedures in a shorter period of time. Our patients are busy and coming to the dentist isn’t always the highest priority for them. If we can accomplish in one visit what often took 3-4 visits, we can be more profitable, and just as importantly, complete work that might have been difficult to complete if the patient did not return. On top of all that, practices with lasers are seen as high-tech and cutting edge, and the promise of painless dentistry will attract many new patients to your office.

5. Staying on the topic of profitability, one of the best things that dentists can do is keep more of their procedures in-house. While some complex treatments like molar endo, implants and orthodontics are often best treated by specialists, there are numerous other treatments that can easily be accomplished by general dentists. Many dentists are uncomfortable treating certain types of procedures, but in my opinion, this is simply related to the fact that they don’t realize that with a great tool like a laser, many of these are quite simple to perform. This would include many routine procedures such as biopsies, creating access to tooth margins, clinical crown lengthening, bleeding control, implant uncovering, and a host of others that can easily be accomplished.

Dentists are constantly looking for the latest and greatest technology to improve their lives, their practice, and the lives of their patients. What many may not realize is that the technology - lasers - already exists and offers great solutions for almost any practice.

Lorne Lavine, DMD is the Founder and President of Dental Technology Consultants. Dr.Lavine holds two prestigious certifications, the A+ Certified Technician designation and the Network+ Certified Professional. These designations demonstrate proficiency in computer repair, operating systems, network design and installation. Dental Technology Consultants provides dentists a full range of services relating to the implementation of technology.

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