At his oral health clinic in Jamestown, North Carolina, J. Michael Puckett, DDS, offers laser treatments to address problems like gum disease. Before establishing his practice, J. Michael Puckett, DDS, achieved his doctor of dental surgery from the UNC School of Dentistry in Chapel Hill.
Gum disease or “periodontitis” occurs when an infection infiltrates the bone and gum tissues responsible for securing teeth. Risk factors for the condition include a lack of oral hygiene, tobacco use, and certain underlying illnesses like diabetes.
Deep cleaning, the traditional procedure to address gum disease, sometimes requires surgery to pull gum tissues away from teeth to facilitate the removal of bacterial buildup. In recent years, lasers have proved effective in facilitating procedures to address gum disease.
During laser therapy for gum disease, dentists rely on laser technology to remove inflamed tissues surrounding a tooth’s root. Following that, dentists strip off harmful plaque buildup that has accumulated on the root as well as beneath the gums.
Laser therapy brings with it a variety of benefits in that it can very accurately target infected tissues and does not require the general anesthesia that some dental surgeries necessitate. Moreover, laser therapy often involves less pain, bleeding, and recovery time when compared to traditional approaches.
