Laser dentistry for oral lesions in Springfield

What Are the Different Types of Oral Lesions?

Several types of lesions can occur in your oral cavity. Most are harmless, but some can signal the presence of a condition that should be treated immediately. If you have an oral lesion, be sure to make an appointment with your dentist or doctor so that you’ll know the type of lesion you have. The most common types of oral lesions are:

Canker Sores

Medically termed aphthous ulcers, canker sores are one of the most common types of oral lesions, and they usually appear on the soft tissues in the mouth, such as the gums. Although they’re typically harmless, they can be very painful. If you have a canker sore that hasn’t healed in two weeks, you should consult your dentist.

Cold Sores

Cold sores – also called fever blisters – are a viral infection, so they won’t be healed by an antibiotic. They usually appear as fluid-filled blisters in the area of the mouth or lips and are caused by the herpes simplex 1 or 2 viruses. Typically, they’ll go away on their own in two or three weeks, but some individuals appear to get cold sores more frequently than others.

Hemangiomas

A hemangioma is usually benign and looks like a bright red birthmark. It’s comprised of extra blood vessels and appears rubbery. Usually, it will occur on the back, neck, face, or scalp, but it can also occur in the mouth. If you have an oral hemangioma and it bothers you, talk to your dentist about it.

HPV

The human papillomavirus, or HPV, is a sexually transmitted disease, or STD, that has the dubious distinction of being at the top of the STD disease list in the U.S. An HPV outbreak can occur anywhere on the body and occasionally occurs in the mouth. Symptoms of an oral HPV outbreak include earache, difficulty swallowing, enlarged lymph nodes, hoarseness, sore throat, and more. HPV lesions are considered precancerous because they cause normal cells to become abnormal cells. If you have an oral HPV lesion, you should seek laser dentistry treatment without delay.

Does Laser Therapy Provide Benefits for Oral Lesions?

Using a laser for oral lesions treatment has several advantages, including:

• Laser treatment is faster than alternative or traditional methods
• Laser treatment is more precise than traditional methods
• Healing and recovery time is faster with a laser treatment
• Lasers cause little to no trauma to the gum tissue
• There’s virtually no bleeding with a laser treatment, which reduces the need for prescriptions and potential drug interactions
• Laser treatments require significantly less anesthesia
• A laser treatment is significantly less painful and uncomfortable

How Does the Dentist Diagnose Oral Lesions?

When you come to our Springfield office, a dentist will thoroughly examine your mouth and oral soft tissues. Specifically, we’ll look for abnormalities such as bumps or lumps in your cheeks, gums, lips, and palate. We’ll probably take clinical photographs and we may need to take an x-ray to ensure that there are no problems with the structure of your mouth.

Usually, we’ll be able to readily diagnose the type of oral lesion you have, such as a canker sore or a cold sore. However, if your Springfield dentist suspects a problem, we may need to take a biopsy and send it off to the lab for evaluation. We usually do this in conjunction with your laser therapy treatment.

What’s the Laser Treatment Procedure?

Before we begin your oral lesions treatment, we’ll numb the area with a local anesthetic. Next, we’ll cut out the lesion with our dental laser and cauterize the tissue in the area. By adjusting the wavelength of the laser, your dentist can remove the lesion without impacting the surrounding tissues. Usually, patients report immediate cessation of pain and expedited healing of the tissue.

Have Any Case Studies Been Done?

Dentistry Today provided a case study of a 32-year-old man who was experiencing severe discomfort that was interfering with his daily activities. He was diagnosed with an outbreak of the herpes simplex virus and was treated with laser dentistry using a Biolase® Epic X diode laser. The patient reported a sensation of warmth from the laser but no pain. He was scheduled to return the following day for a follow-up treatment, but at the second visit the patient reported that he had no pain or discomfort and had resumed his daily activities. An exam revealed that inflammation had significantly lessened, and the area was well on its way to being completely healed. Call our Springfield office to learn more about this case.

How Do I Learn More About Laser Dentistry for Oral Lesions?

If you have a cold sore, a canker sore, or any other type of oral lesion, call Baystate Dental of Springfield at (413) 507-0115 to schedule an appointment, or book your appointment online. We have several dental offices within the Springfield area, so you’re sure to find one that’s convenient for you. Call us today. You’ll be glad you did.