Solea Through a Patient’s Perspective

The days of sharp needles and loud, intrusive drills are over, and it is all thanks to Solea. As a result of the CO₂ all-tissue dental laser, practitioners are performing their best, reliably anesthesia-free dentistry and patients have stopped putting off going to the dentist: it’s a win-win. In "Laser dentistry: A patient’s perspective on pain-free treatment," DentistryIQ discusses Solea, or what Dr. Yooson Kim refers to as a "paradigm shift," with the practitioner and her once dental-phobic patient, Tina.

Like many, Tina was always apprehensive when it came to her teeth. Referring to her oral care history as an adult, she says, "I had to have roughly 20 dental visits within nine months because of complications incurred due to neglect… Between time taken off from work, the needles, the numbness, the grinding of the drill, and the post-op healing time, the procedures were excruciating for me." Fortunately, this type of experience was short lived, as she eventually met Dr. Kim who introduced her to a breakthrough technology that would soon ease any anxiety.

Tina is an example of someone who went from being terrified of the dentist to not thinking twice about scheduling her next appointment. In her interview with DentistryIQ, Tina discusses just about every concern patients have with traditional dentistry, and reassures how they all disappear with Solea.

Patient concern #1: the needle

DentistryIQ: So, Tina, you thought, "The part of the procedure that I dread the most is eliminated [with Solea]?"
Tina: I said, "Wait a minute, you mean you’re going to put this new device in my mouth, you can fix my cavity, and I don’t even have to get a shot today?"

When it comes to the needle, patients get very anxious just before the painful "prick" of the injection. They also dread the numbness caused by anesthesia which stops them from being able to eat, drink, and go about their day. With Solea, since the needle is eliminated, patients experience reliably pain-free procedures and don’t have to worry about that uncomfortable numb feeling which can linger for hours afterwards.

In a prior interview with DentistryIQ, Convergent Dental CEO, Mike Cataldo, explains the science of pain-free dentistry with Solea and the "light tapping" phenomenon, saying, "[Solea’s] high repetition rate is important because at a thousand pulses per second, in hard tissue, you’re actually vibrating the tooth. We believe that this light tapping overwhelms the nerves, essentially closing the circuit breaker to the brain that allows people to feel pain."

Patient concern #2: the sound

DentistryIQ: What about the sound of [Solea]?
Tina: Dr. Kim’s doing her work and using the footpedal, and the water is running and the suction is going—all those normal sounds you expect to hear. It wasn’t anything like the traditional drill, or what I like to call the "jackhammer," chiseling and grinding your tooth. It was nothing like that at all.

After the needle comes the drill with its unpleasant vibration and piercing "whirr." Always heard in the waiting room, before the patient is even seated in the chair, the unmistakable sound is usually a cause for anxiety to take root—but not anymore. Solea works quickly, quietly, and doesn’t induce discomfort. As Tina validates, "I felt some cooling. They’re working in your mouth, and you’re aware that they’re doing something, but it’s just different."

Furthermore, without the drill, the majority of procedures are performed blood-free: another feature that patients love and so will you. Little or no blood means no need for sutures, quick healing, and less post-operative discomfort.

Patient concern #3: the time

Dentistry IQ: Did anything surprise you about the laser treatment?
Tina: Everybody has a busy schedule nowadays. With my job, time is very valuable. I took time from work and came in late [after treatment with Solea], but I was able to get right on the phone, have conversations with people, have my lunch, and not have to worry about biting my lip or slurred speech. To me, it was huge that I could have dental work done and then jump right back into my daily activities without any discomfort or inconvenience.

With jobs, school, and other responsibilities, most people don’t have the time to visit the dentist, sit in the chair, wait for the anesthesia to set in, have the procedure, and then wait hours for the anesthetic effect to subside. Patients are looking for a fast and easy solution that allows them to come in and leave as quickly as possible so they can return to their days.

Because you won’t need to use anesthesia in the majority of cases, total procedure time is a fraction of what it would be with traditional dentistry. For instance, in a dental gingivectomy case provided by another practitioner, Dr. Joshua Weintraub, the speed, precision, and efficiency of the Solea Dental Laser is shown. Done traditionally, a similar procedure would have taken over 30 minutes. Solea, from start to finish, allowed Dr. Weintraub to complete the gingivectomy in only 10 minutes, and with no lingering effects of anesthesia.

Practitioners want a technology that simplifies their day-to-day routine, but also benefits their patients and makes the experience better for them. This is why Solea was developed. To help your patients understand just how the Solea Dental Laser changes everything, tell them about ilovesolea.com – an educational website for patients. To add Solea to your practice, contact Convergent Dental today!