Austin Laser Dentist - Helen Ragsdale DDS, 11615 Angus Rd Ste 101, Austin 78759, United States (US) - Phone: 512 346-4690

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How Does Laser Teeth Whitening Work?

Looking for a quick and safe way to gain an impressive smile before an upcoming event? At Austin Laser Dentist, you can have a whiter, brighter smile in as few as sixty minutes. Dr. Helen Ragsdale uses LaserSmile™ Whitening System as a quick, safe, and convenient way to give you a show-stopping smile. The system uses advanced chemistry and laser-activated chromophores to make the most of the whitening process.

A major benefit of laser teeth whitening is that patients typically experience minimal sensitivity during and after treatment. Patients will also receive a take-home bleaching tray and one syringe for any touch-ups that may be needed after their laser teeth whitening appointment.

Are you Googling “teeth whitening near me?” contact your Austin, TX dental team today at 512-346-4690. Read more about the treatment process below.

Laser Teeth Whitening Process

Before undergoing laser teeth whitening, Dr. Ragsdale or a member of our dental team will screen you for eligibility. We generally suggest that pregnant women not receive this treatment, and teenagers should only undergo this treatment under specific circumstances.

Dr. Ragsdale will ensure that your gums are healthy and check that your tooth roots aren’t exposed. Exposed tooth roots and the presence of attachments may cause your teeth to bleach unevenly. In this case, Dr. Ragsdale may suggest an alternative whitening treatment.

However, if you pass the initial screening, Dr. Ragsdale will proceed with this safe and easy three-step process:

  1. Pre-Treatment: One of our dental hygienists will clean your teeth and ensure that any cavities have been treated to prevent damage to the interior of the tooth.
  2. Medication: Prior to treatment, Dr. Ragsdale may prescribe a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication to decrease any pain caused by teeth sensitivity.
  3. Whitening: The whitening procedure will begin by placing a plastic or rubber guard to hold your mouth open. Next, a gel—made with a significant proportion of hydrogen peroxide— will be applied over your gums to protect the soft tissue from the whitening solution. Dr. Ragsdale will carefully apply a whitening gel to the front of your teeth and use a laser to activate the gel. The gel and laser work together to lift away stains.

Once all your teeth have been whitened by the laser, the gel will need to sit on your teeth for a few more minutes. The gel is then removed with a suction tool. This process may be repeated up to three times.

Finally, Dr. Ragsdale will rinse your mouth out and remove the protective gel from your gums.

What to Expect After Treatment

Included in your treatment cost is a bleaching tray and syringe that you can use to touch up your teeth at home. During your treatment, Dr. Ragsdale will give you specific instructions on how and when to use those items.

After laser whitening treatments, some patients experience temporary tooth sensitivity. Be sure to take the medication that Dr. Ragsdale prescribed before your treatment to reduce these symptoms. You may also want to avoid hot or cold food and drinks for a few days. Your sensitivity will naturally subside after a few days.

Schedule Your Laser Teeth Whitening Appointment Today

While laser whitening treatments have long-term effects, it’s unlikely that your teeth will stay as bright as they were right after treatment. Coffee, tea, smoking, and even brightly colored vegetables stain teeth over time. Ask Dr. Ragsdale about her exclusive offer of “Free Whitening for Life” to keep your smile bright for years to come.

Laser teeth whitening is a fantastic way to enhance your smile before weddings, class reunions, and holidays. If you find yourself Googling “teeth whitening treatments near me,” it may be time to act on your desire for whiter teeth. If you’re ready to have a bright, beautiful smile, contact your Austin Laser Dental team today at 512-346-4690.

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Periodontal Disease: Prevention and Treatment

According to the American Academy of Periodontology, 56 percent of men and 38 percent of women over the age of 30 will develop periodontal disease — an infection of the gums. This infection may lead to tooth loss and deterioration of the jawbone. Gum disease is also linked to health issues such as heart disease, cancer, infertility, and pregnancy complications. Men and women who smoke or chew tobacco, wear braces, or have misaligned teeth are more prone to developing gum disease and should diligently care for their teeth and gums to prevent periodontitis.

Schedule an appointment with our Austin Laser Dentist team immediately if you are experiencing bleeding, irritated, swollen gums, bad breath, or toothaches. Dr. Helen Ragsdale offers a wide range of conservative, technologically advanced treatments to treat your gum disease. Call us today at 512-346-4690 or contact us online to set up your appointment.

Preventing Periodontal Disease

The key to defending your mouth against gum disease is maintaining good oral hygiene habits. Regular dental cleanings are important and necessary, but the most effective prevention happens at home. These measures include:

  • Proper brushing: Brush your teeth for two to three minutes a day (twice a day) with fluoride toothpaste. Don’t forget to brush along the gumline where plaque and tartar then to build.
  • Floss regularly: Whether you prefer traditional floss or a floss holder, flossing will help remove tartar and bad bacteria from the areas your toothbrush can’t reach.
  • Rinse with mouthwash: Adding an antiseptic mouth wash to your oral hygiene routine will add another wall of protection for your gums by killing any lingering bad bacteria left in your mouth.
  • Eat a healthy diet: The body needs proper nutrition to prevent gum disease, and other ailments, from taking over. Foods that are high in vitamins A and C are particularly helpful in keeping your teeth and gums intact.

Treatments for Periodontal Disease

Before treating your gum infection, one of our dental hygienists will assess your gums for any sign of inflammation and use a probe to measure the pockets around the teeth for abnormalities. If necessary, he or she will also take an x-ray to check for bone loss.

At Austin Laser Dentist, we believe conservative treatments are the best option whenever possible. For patients with mild gum disease, we recommend a process called scaling and root planing. This affordable, nonsurgical periodontal therapy involves using an anesthetic to numb the entire infected area, gently removing built-up tartar, and smoothing the rough areas to allow the gums to reattach to the roots. Dr. Ragsdale may also recommend adding an anti-microbial mouthwash to your daily oral hygiene routine.

For those with more advanced periodontal disease, we provide the latest technologies and techniques through high-quality, gentle care. These techniques include:

  • Laser Gum Surgery
  • Laser Pocket Decontamination
  • Gum Grafts (Subepithelial connective tissue grafts)
  • Guided Tissue Regeneration
  • Bone Grafting

Click here to learn more about what these treatments entail.

Contact Your Austin Dentist Today

It’s important to know that while periodontal disease can be treated, it cannot be cured. It is essential that you develop and continue an oral hygiene routine that will keep the disease under control. If not, abscesses, bone loss, and tooth loss are likely to occur.

Our Austin Laser Dentist team is prepared to treat and help you prevent the progression of gum disease. Contact our office today at 512-346-4690 for professional, effective treatment.

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Can a laser really remove my cavity?

Laser Cavity Removal, Austin, TXLaser technology has been adopted in numerous fields to increase precision in manufacturing, read digital information in telecommunications, and even decode your purchases at the grocery store. The power of lasers is really just beginning to be understood by medical researchers and scientists around the world, but rest assured that the laser technology used today by our practice can effectively remove your cavity – and do so much more! While many dentists have not yet adopted laser cavity removal practices, instead opting for traditional drilling tools to treat cavities, Dr. Helen Ragsdale is one of Austin, TX’s leading experts on laser dentistry. She understands the improved precision and patient experience that comes with implementing laser treatment techniques in her dental practice. Dr. Ragsdale has even helped train other area dentists how to use the power and precision of laser technology in their own practices.

When it comes to laser cavity removal in the Austin, TX, area, you should look no further than Dr. Helen Ragsdale! If you are interested in a more comfortable, less invasive dental experience, contact our practice to schedule your consultation.

How it Works

Light is powerful; just think about the sun, and the energy it provides our entire planet. In the same way, lasers harness the power of light in a unique way. Lasers concentrate energy so that light waves become more and more powerful and are perfectly aligned to increase their strength. Unlike a lightbulb or a flashlight, lasers have a very narrow beam of light that allows the energy to become focused on one small area.

At our practice, we utilize the WaterLase IPlus All-Tissue Laser for cavity removals. This dental laser is used in more than 15,000 dental practices around the world, and can be used not just for cavity removal, but a range of hard and soft tissue treatments. Dr. Ragsdale utilizes the WaterLase laser for root canals, cavity removals, cavity preparation, gum contouring, and more. This unique laser actually uses laser-energized water to cut through hard enamel layers—no drilling required!

The Benefits of Laser Cavity Removal

Laser cavity removal has a list of benefits when compared to traditional drilling techniques. Dr. Ragsdale has endorsed laser cavity removal because it is more:

  • Comfortable: The pain and discomfort that comes with the pressure of the drill is nonexistent when using laser technology. In addition, less local anesthetic is needed, so patients typically do not have to experience uncomfortable injections as frequently.
  • Precise: Laser technology allows Dr. Ragsdale to accurately pinpoint the exact area of decay, without destroying or damaging nearby healthy tooth and gum tissues.
  • Sterile: Lasers can reduce infection by immediately sterilizing the affected area and reducing the amount of damage to nearby tissues.
  • Efficient: The length of the normal healing period is reduced, as is the risk of complications. This decreases the amount of time you have to spend in the dental chair, and helps you get back to your life sooner!
  • Long-lasting: Fillings placed with the aid of laser technology actually last longer. The bond between the filling’s composite material and the natural tooth enamel is improved with laser technology.

Laser Cavity Removal in Austin, TX

Are you ready for a more comfortable, more precise cavity removal treatment? Dr. Helen Ragsdale of Austin Laser Dentist can help you get there with minimally invasive procedures through laser technology. Dr. Ragsdale is now accepting new patients at her north Austin location; schedule your laser cavity removal appointment by calling 512-346-4690.

 

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5 Benefits of Restorative Dentistry

woman holding picture of beautiful smile in front of her faceOur smiles are one of our most visible physical attributes. The benefits of healthy teeth goes beyond physical looks, though. When teeth become damaged, the results can have significant health implications. Restorative dentistry focuses on repairing or replacing damaged or decayed teeth. If you are interested in having the perfect smile, contact Dr. Helen Ragsdale at (512) 346-4690 to schedule an examination at Austin Laser Dentist in Austin, TX. Here are just a few of the benefits of restorative dentistry.

#1: Improved Chewing Function

The act of chewing is a complex balancing act that requires close coordination between the jaw, teeth, and tongue to ensure that food is properly ground and crushed before being digested. When food is not properly chewed, choking and digestive problems may occur. Over reliance on one side of the mouth due to pain from a damaged tooth is one common cause of impaired chewing function. (Some patients experience improvements in speech following the dental restoration procedure.) Restorative dentistry is one way to help restore chewing ability.

#2: Reduced Jaw Discomfort

Misaligned teeth can cause a number of oral problems ranging from jaw pain and stiffness of the jaw muscles to persistent teeth clicking and unintentional self-biting of the gums. In some cases, the discomfort can even lead to recurrent headaches and trouble sleeping. Austin Laser Dentist offers several procedures to help realign teeth and end discomfort. Those options include fillings, dental implants, bridges, crowns, and teeth straightening.

#3: Long-term Cost Savings and Preservation of Bone Structure

The preferred outcome for any dental procedure is to preserve all or part of a tooth when possible. Dental crowns (caps) preserve damaged teeth by physically encasing the remaining structure. The crowns are designed to maintain the natural look and feel of the tooth they are capped onto.

A healthy smile speaks volumes. It is commonly associated with health, happiness, and beauty. While not every part of our bodies can go through life appearing ageless, our teeth can. Whether you’re looking to close gaps between your teeth, restore chipped teeth, or cover stains, the staff at Austin Laser Dentist has the right options for you.

#4: Look Younger

It’s no wonder models and celebrities pay special attention to their smiles. Studies have shown that the appearance of our teeth is a key factor in how age is perceived. One study conducted by Oral B found that a healthy smile can add or subtract five years to your “age.”

#5: Improved Appearance

The shape, evenness, and color of your teeth define how “healthy” your smile appears to others. Having the assuredness to smile wide and show your pearly whites can be a boost to your self-confidence. It can also influence how old you look. Dr. Ragsdale’s dental office provides a variety of procedures that can restore and improve the appearance of your teeth. Discoloration can result from years of drinking coffee and tea or simply for genetic reasons. Austin Laser Dentist offers one-hour Laser Whitening. The process is no mere whitewashing. A beautiful smile must appear natural. Dr. Ragsdale and her staff approach each laser whitening treatment mindful of the patient’s natural skin tone in order to ensure that the results complement the surrounding facial features.

Rejuvenate Your Smile With Restorative Dentistry in Austin, TX

Are you interested in learning more about restorative dentistry? Call Dr. Helen Ragsdale at (512) 346-4690 to arrange for an appointment.

 

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