Ultraguide Periodontal Abscess

Case Summary:

The patient presented for emergency visit with a periodontal abscess with a 10+mm probing on #17 lingual. The clinical objective was to remove inflamed, granulomatous tissue from periodontal pocket and reduce probing depth. Patient knows prognosis is guarded.

Technique Used:

Only TAC topical anesthetic was used. The entire procedure was performed using the “Hard and Soft Tissue” setting, 0.25 mm spot size with cutting speed between 20% - 50%. The procedure started at gingival margin with the Ultraguide handpiece (600 micron tip, 15 mm length), working apically to base of pocket. Significant granulation tissue from epithelial lining was ablated and flushed out by mist. Finally, a piezo scaler was used. The contra angle handpiece was used to remove excess coronal tissue with 1% mist and 20% – 40% cutting speed. Gauze applied followed by periacryl (Glustitch). The total laser time was approximately 2 minutes and the total procedure time was approximately 15 minutes.

Solea Advantage:

With traditional instruments, this procedure would be performed with a scalpel and other instruments. This would entail an injection of anesthetic, flap, bleeding and sutures, likely taking more than 45 minutes to complete. With other lasers, the patient would likely require an injection of anesthetic and there would most likely have been more bleeding and post operative discomfort. With Solea, this procedure was completed anesthesia-free. As such, this procedure was a minimally invasive periodontal surgery with rapid healing, without the need for local anesthetic or sutures. As the 30 day follow-up shows, the tissue appears healthy with pink gingiva exhibiting classic stippling and coral pink color.