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Glenn van AsSpectatorHere are the insertion photos for the case I showed at the beginning. I will have the final photos once I have this great patient back.
Case worked out quite good I think.
Do you like the format of putting these images in a collage or do you like the old fashioned ACDSee 5.0 sendpix that I used to use.
Glenn
Glenn van AsSpectatorHere is the before and after shot at 4X mag through the scope and the laser photos you saw above.
Glenn
2thlaserSpectatorAmen!
greg holmSpectatorI do appreciate the maintenance thread. I do not own a laser, but am well aware of the value of proper care of our equipment.
If these things are very sensitive to movement, it sounds to me like a dedicated ‘laser room’ would be a very safe way to go?
Comments please.
Greg
greg holmSpectatorLet’s say you have a pretty busy practice. Your pt flow is very important to having a good day. Since the only way you’re going to know whether you could achieve anes on a pt is to actually use it w/o injecting, would you be better off trying the laser on diagnodent readings of 40 or less, or would you want to come in and use the laser for fills on a day off for awhile until you had your act down? I am talking about not bogging down by getting into the middle of something and then going ahead and injecting anyway.
Greg(Edited by greg holm at 9:48 am on Feb. 16, 2003)
joe francisSpectatorRon
Where do I get a camera like yours? The images are really nice. I’ve tried to put together my own setup, but the project is stalled & I need to move on.
By the way, I just purchased a Waterlase @ Townie I & I need help getting up to speed.
Cordially, Joe
AnonymousParticipantHi Joe,
Welcome to the forums!
I got my camera setup thru the Image Gallery in Adrian,Mi the phone is 517-264-2080 .
Talk to Brad and tell him you were interested in a setup like I have.I think you’ve found the right place to start getting up to speed w/ the Waterlase. I’ve learned more here than I did from my trainers, mainly because there are dentist here who use their lasers daily and are pushing the envelope on what can be done with them. Fortunately, they are a great bunch of guys who are willing to share and answer anything. I’m hoping this place always stays a ‘safe’ place to ask questions and post cases (no matter how simple or complex they may be).
Good Luck with the Waterlase and keep us posted on how it goes,
Glenn van AsSpectatorHi Greg: I use the laser on areas over 40 in some and on others it isnt possible. I can show you big ones where the patient didnt flinch and others that are small where I had to anesthetize.
One interesting thing that Dr. William Thompson does with his laser is use it in a room not typically used for restorative /endo/ pro procedures.
He will take a patient from hygiene if the lesion is small (under a certain number on the diagnodent….say 40 for instance) and bring them back. He will then proceed to numb up the patient in the other op and as the anesthetic is setting he will do the small restoration in OP#2 .
He also will book doubled up on things like Class 5s and class 4 fractures so that while one patient is numbing up and the rubber dam is going on the next one he is completing the anesthetic free procedure.
Pretty good way of increasing the revenue from this Op.
Patients dont mind either going from hygiene to the Op #2 if they arent going to be numb and in addition get the restoration done without having to come back for a second appointment.
Its a win-win for all parties.
Just an idea……….
Glenn
dkimmelSpectatorGlenn, Looks like this is going to take more than one weekend to get master lasers. Thanks for the references. Ron was one of the guys that influenced me from his postings on DT to look into getting the laser. Mark Colonna lecture in Vegas pushed me over the edge. So much to learn. The ALD is out for me this year .
Pat, I’ll check with the rep on Dr. Chen. Thanks. I noticed that you had studied under Travell. That must have been something. Just now reading through Vol1. Great stuff but hard to read for any length of time. Have you used the diode laser on any trigger points?
David
Glenn van AsSpectatorGreg: I honestly will say that I have had very very little worries about moving my laser from one room to the other. The Continuum Delight is really a sturdy machine. Now I am not so sure about other lasers, but from what I hear and read , not all the lasers are so easy to transport in a car, or move from room to room without worry.
I know someone who is a Biolase user who recently test drove the Continuum and he was astonished to see the unit come out of a car and be set up by his assistant and start up without hesitation.
I see from Mark Colonna’s posts that you must be very careful about certain things with the Biolase to preven the trunk fiber from frying out and others have mentioned to me that just movement of their laser from carpet to lino in their op with a little bump in between was enough to put their laser out of alignment.
The bottom line is this, check out what others are doing with the laser that you intend to purchase. I can only speak for ConBios Delight and tell you movement within reason is not a concern at all and if you want to move the laser ( I have done it a fair amount) you can without fear of damaging it.
Other people with Biolase and OpusDent can chip in here with their thoughts.
Glenn
Glenn van AsSpectatorHi there David: I still havent “mastered” lasers, and that is the fun thing. You think to yourself………hmmm….what would happen here if I did this. Classic example is the bone recontouring case I did last week , it was the first time I cut the flap with the erbium and raised one and my first real osseous recontouring case.
I plan on trying to get some microsurgical instruments and try this more often refining my techniques as I go.
I think you can become very very adept at using lasers from looking at the photos on this site, reading the posts, seeing what others are doing and taking lots of pictures on your cases and reviewing them later.
Textbooks like Manni’s are excellent starting points and meetings like WCLI ( I havent been but am tempted to go just to see what people are doing, if Keith will ever let me in!!!!)
Keep an open mind, and try to continually change the way you do things now and in addition do things that are out of the box (Mark is very good at this) and provide treatments that you never did before you got the laser (for example I now do frenectomies, gingival recontourings, biopsies, osseous recontouring, gingival troughing, apthous ulcer treatments, lingual tonge tie releases, and several other things that I never did before I got the lasers).
Others might want to chip in here too.
Glenn
dkimmelSpectatorAnyone routinely anesthesing a prep with the laser prior to cementation? Seems like it would work !
Like I posted earlier I am a soon to be newbie so be easy on me!
David
Glenn van AsSpectatorHey I never even thought of it David………
Bet Mark has………..
WHat a great idea.
Lets see what he says. My thoughts are initially the main problem might be the water on the tooth but if you use the laser on the tooth with the temporary in place then cut of the temp with the laser, you might in many cases be able to get some anesthetic type of effect.
The problem is that this effect is not a long term thing and if the crown requires alot of adjustment it may be sensitive afterwards.
Cmon Mark , give us your thoughts. ROn , Al, others what are your experiences.
I think you would use 5.5w defocussed for 90 secs all around and then afterwards cut the temp off to give the tooth a little bit of more time. I dont know what settings you would use to get the temp off , mark may know that.
Glenn
greg holmSpectatorI always appreciate your pics Glen. Was that fiber damaged by this proceedure? Is there an electrical current or something generated here?
Greg
Glenn van AsSpectatorYes the tip is not as good anymore , I think that the scatter back from the amalgam damages the tip. It does squat to the amalgam but it does damage the tip.
Maybe Bob can explain why but the bottom line is dont do it!!Thanks for the compliments, if my pics help a few people “See the Light” ( pun intended) than I guess it is all worth while.
Glenn
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