Reviewed by Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS — South Florida Smile Spa, Pompano Beach, FL
Soft tissue laser dentistry in Pompano Beach lets Dr. Nicole M. Berger reshape, remove and treat gum tissue with a fine beam of light instead of a scalpel, which for the patient means little or no bleeding, no stitches in most cases, less swelling and faster healing. At South Florida Smile Spa the soft-tissue laser is used to even out an uneven gumline before veneers or bonding, to expose more tooth where the gums cover too much, to release a tight lip or tongue tie, to remove small growths and overgrown tissue, to treat gum pockets and to clear tissue around a crown margin or an implant. This page explains how the laser works, what it is used for, what the procedure feels like and how it compares with conventional surgery.
Quick answer
A soft-tissue dental laser is a precisely controlled beam, usually a diode laser, that cuts and seals gum tissue at the same time, so there is minimal bleeding, usually no sutures and a quicker, more comfortable recovery than a scalpel. At South Florida Smile Spa in Pompano Beach it is used for gum contouring and crown lengthening before cosmetic work, frenectomies for tongue and lip ties, removing overgrown or excess tissue, treating gum pockets alongside deep cleaning, uncovering implants and clearing tissue around crown margins. Procedures take minutes under local anesthetic, most patients return to normal activity the same day, and bone-level and surgical gum procedures are still done conventionally by our periodontist.
What It Does
Soft tissue laser dentistry in Pompano Beach: what the laser is used for
The laser is a precise tool for the gums, not a replacement for every kind of surgery. These are the jobs it does well here.
- Gum contouring. Evening an uneven or gummy smile line before veneers, bonding or whitening, often in the same visit as the cosmetic work.
- Crown lengthening of soft tissue. Exposing more tooth where the gum covers it, so a crown or veneer has the right proportions; cases needing bone removal go to our periodontist.
- Frenectomy. Releasing a tight lip or tongue tie in minutes, with no sutures, for children and adults.
- Removing excess tissue. Overgrowth from medication or braces, small benign growths, and tissue over a partially erupted tooth.
- Pocket treatment and implant care. Reducing bacteria in gum pockets alongside scaling, and clearing tissue around crown margins and implant heads.
The FDA regulates dental lasers as laser products; our laser dentistry page covers the periodontal uses in more depth.
The Procedure
What a soft-tissue laser procedure is like
- Planning. Dr. Berger marks the new gumline or the tissue to be removed and explains the result, often with the smile design on screen for cosmetic cases.
- Numbing. A topical gel and, for most procedures, a small amount of local anesthetic.
- Laser work. The tip is passed over the tissue; it cuts and seals as it goes. Most procedures take five to twenty minutes.
- No stitches. The treated area is sealed by the laser; a protective dressing is rarely needed.
- Recovery. Mild tenderness for a day or two, a soft diet for a day, and normal activity the same day; cosmetic work follows once the tissue has settled.
Laser versus scalpel
For the soft-tissue procedures listed above, the laser is gentler: it seals blood vessels as it cuts, so there is little bleeding and the field stays clear; it sterilizes the surface it touches; there is less swelling and usually no need for sutures; and healing is typically faster with less discomfort. The scalpel still has its place in surgery that involves bone, grafting or large flaps, which is the work of our periodontist and is described on the oral surgery pages. Dr. Berger uses the laser where it gives the better and more comfortable result, and refers where it does not.
Lasers and cosmetic dentistry
A great deal of cosmetic work depends on the gums. Veneers on teeth with an uneven gumline look uneven; a gummy smile makes even perfect teeth look short. Laser contouring, planned on the smile design and done in minutes, is often the step that makes a smile makeover or a set of veneers look natural, and because healing is quick, the restorative work follows within a few weeks.
Care in Pompano Beach
Why patients choose South Florida Smile Spa for laser gum treatment
- Minimal bleeding, no stitches. The laser seals as it cuts for most soft-tissue procedures.
- Fast recovery. Back to normal activity the same day in most cases.
- Planned with the smile. Gum contouring designed alongside veneers and bonding.
- Honest scope. Bone and flap surgery referred to our periodontist.
- Comfortable. Topical and local anesthetic; sedation available for anxious patients.
Patients come to us from Pompano Beach, Lighthouse Point, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Coconut Creek for care planned with the imaging and tools described on this page.
A gummy smile, an uneven gumline or a tongue tie
Book a consultation with Dr. Berger. Most soft-tissue laser procedures take minutes and heal within days.
South Florida Smile Spa · Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS · 572 E McNab Rd, Suite 102, Pompano Beach, FL 33060 · (954) 785-1100
Frequently Asked Questions
Does laser gum treatment hurt?
Not during the procedure, because the area is numbed. Afterward most patients describe mild tenderness for a day or two, less than after conventional surgery, and manage with over-the-counter pain relief.
How long does healing take?
Most soft-tissue laser sites feel normal within a few days and are fully healed in one to two weeks. Cosmetic work is scheduled once the gumline has settled, usually two to four weeks.
Can a laser fix a gummy smile?
Often, yes. When the gum simply covers too much tooth, laser contouring exposes the right amount in one visit. When bone must also be reshaped, the periodontist does a conventional crown lengthening.
Is the laser used for cavities or whitening?
The soft-tissue laser here is for gums. Decay is removed with a drill or a hard-tissue method, and whitening uses peroxide gel with or without a lamp, described on the whitening pages.
Can my child have a tongue tie released with the laser?
Yes. A laser frenectomy takes a few minutes with local anesthetic, usually without stitches, and children tolerate it well.
Do you see patients from outside Pompano Beach?
Yes. Patients come from Lighthouse Point, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Coconut Creek and across Broward County, and most laser procedures are a single short visit. The office is at 572 E McNab Rd, Suite 102, Pompano Beach. Call (954) 785-1100 or request an appointment.