Laser therapy for teeth and gums

Reflecting on his nearly 40 years in dentistry, Dr. William Aerni says if he told his 1988 self the impact lasers would one day have in his field, he never would’ve believed it.

Since graduating from dental school, Dr. Aerni has watched dentistry move from traditional surgical approaches to increasingly precise, minimally invasive treatments designed to reduce infection, promote healing and, whenever possible, preserve a patient’s natural teeth. One of the biggest advancements has been laser therapy, which he embraced early on as part of his commitment to modern dentistry. He’s pleased to announce the dental hygiene staff at Aerni Dental in Strongsville has also recently become certified in laser therapy.

“In May, the Ohio State Dental Board approved licensed dental hygienists to use dental lasers for clinical procedures after completing required education and competency testing,” he explained. “We knew we wanted to get our staff trained and certified as soon as possible after that. Now Gail Bodnar, Tina Gawlikowski and Sam Rider will be able to offer laser-assisted periodontal therapy for our patients.”

He explains that for the long-term health of the teeth, one of the most important things they do is control infection.

“Periodontal disease can progress without causing pain, until it becomes advanced and there is significant bone loss,” he says. 

The disease develops when bacteria and inflammation affect the gum tissue and supporting structures surrounding the teeth. Left untreated, it can lead to bone loss and tooth loss. Laser-assisted periodontal therapy targets bacteria and sterilizes within the tooth pockets.

Nonsurgical Option for Gum Disease

For Gail, who has been a dental hygienist for more than 40 years, the regulatory change represents a significant evolution in her profession.

“We were one of the first dental hygiene classes in Ohio to receive the training after it was approved,” she says. “The laser allows us to provide bacterial reduction and decontamination within the pockets and gives us an important, nonsurgical way to treat gum disease and gingivitis.”

For patients, the advantages include less bleeding, swelling and discomfort as well as a more comfortable healing period. 

Gail says the technology is a natural extension of Dr. Aerni’s longtime approach to dentistry.

“He is extremely patient-centered and always stays at the forefront of technology,” she says. “He continually educates himself, and he invests in education for the entire team. We all share the same philosophy that educating the patient is one of the key things we can do.”

Tina has been in the profession for 14 years. For her, the training represents a major improvement in what she can offer patients.

“This is the first time in my career that we’ve been able to take that next step in treating periodontal disease,” she says. “Previously we could perform scaling and root planing, but if we weren’t getting the results we wanted, the next step would be referring the patient to a periodontist. Now I have another tool in my toolbox.” 

Sam Rider, who has been a hygienist for 12 years, sees laser treatment as a paradigm shift in how effectively they can now treat gum disease. Since being certified in July, she’s used it with 4-5 patients in varying stages of disease and has seen amazing results.

“Whether a patient comes in with mild, moderate or advanced infection, it’s exciting to better manage their healing and maintain healthy tissue going forward,” she says. “Healthy gums are related to overall systemic health, so this is a meaningful medical pursuit for our practice.”

Gail, Tina and Sam completed classroom instruction, hands-on clinical education and competency testing before being permitted to provide the laser treatments under Dr. Aerni’s supervision.

He stresses that technology is only one component of successful treatment, and that long-term results also depend on what happens after patients leave the dental chair.

“We advise patients that when they follow a good daily routine, we can see remarkable changes in keeping their teeth for a lifetime,” he says. “I’ve always said what God gave us is the best.”

The Aerni Dental team offers the full spectrum of dental care, from general preventive dentistry to dental implants, same-day crowns, root canals, orthodontics and cosmetic enhancement.

Aerni Dental

11177 Pearl Road, Strongsville

440-390-3690

AerniDental.com