Lasers are an exciting addition to dental care. Many dentists use lasers to treat gum disease or to remove or re-shape tissue, like for a biopsy. Laser soft tissue procedures are more comfortable and heal more quickly. In 2011, we became one of the first dental offices in Montana to use a laser for fillings and working on teeth. This laser replaces the drill. The laser energy vaporizes tooth material and tooth decay. The laser helps to numb the tooth and we usually don’t need any local anesthetic. Although it is always available, most of the time, people choose to do their fillings without any anesthetic. We have done hundreds of fillings with the laser and have had few people ask for novocaine. One drawback, we cannot use the laser to remove old silver fillings. Do you have cavities and concerns about traditional fillings? Would you prefer to have your fillings done without any novocaine or lots of drilling? Maybe laser fillings are just what you need!