World Class Dentistry, a patient-centered cosmetic dental practice in Sarasota that specializes in cutting-edge technology, recently purchased cold laser equipment to launch its use in aiding treatment of pain associated with the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), the hinge used to open and close the jaw.
This piece of new equipment will bring much-needed pain relief to its patients in as little as 10 minutes.
“I love innovation,” said Dr. Jill Morris, an accredited cosmetic dentist and co-owner of World Class Dentistry. “This approach allows us to help alleviate patients’ pain non-invasively. Cold laser equipment has been used now for years in other practices, such as orthopedics and physical therapy, so it’s very natural to do.”
When the TMJ and the muscles surrounding it become inflamed, it can cause headaches and other problems for patients. With the use of the cold laser equipment, Dr. Morris can non-invasively treat the muscles of the face and neck to help relieve muscle pain.
A light laser beam is placed on the skin in the areas that are being worked on for a few minutes. As the muscle inflammation decreases, there’s an increase in blood flow and oxygen to the ligaments and joint area, which promotes healing.
“Cold laser is really good for our patients with head and neck and TMJ pain,” said Dr. Morris. “This complements some of the other work that we do as well.”
The cold laser equipment can also be used on patients with significant gag reflexes by placing it on acupuncture points and temporarily removing the reflex as well as patients with mouth ulcers, which can be really painful and debilitating for some people.
“The cold laser equipment helps improve nerve function and promotes faster healing by accelerating tissue repair and cell growth,” said Dr. Morris. “To me, it is well worth it because you’re helping relieve patients’ pain faster and more effectively while promoting healing. That’s what I want to do.”