LightScalpel

10/16/2026

🎵 A vocal music educator spent 13 years with unexplained vocal fatigue, a limited low range, and TMJ pain. Her ENT found healthy vocal folds. The cause turned out to be a posterior tongue-tie.

Kaitlyn Fay Koch tells the story in the October 2026 issue of NYSSMA’s publication for music educators. Her dentist, Dr. Kristen Geist, DDS, D.ABDSM, CSSC, performed the release with her LightScalpel CO₂ laser.

The treatment followed the full sequence: myofunctional therapy before the procedure, the laser frenuloplasty, then more therapy afterward. Koch reports that her lower range extended by a minor third and that singing felt easier within half an hour of the procedure.

Her article ends with advice for other voice teachers: if a student might have a tongue-tie, refer them to an airway-focused dentist and a myofunctional therapist. Adult tongue-tie patients are finding their way to dentists from well outside dentistry.

Read Koch’s article:https://www.nyssma.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Tongue-ties-and-Singing-My-Story-and-PSA-for-Vocal-Music-Educators-October-2026.pdf

10/16/2026

Every LightScalpel CO₂ laser is designed and built in Bothell, Washington. The beam travels through a flexible-fiber waveguide to a pen-style handpiece.

To try one in your own hands, call 866-589-2722 for a demo or request a quote: https://na2.hubs.ly/H08hYs60

10/14/2026

Pediatric dentist Dr. Larry Kotlow has treated infants and children since 1974 and is one of the best-known names in tongue- and lip-tie care. After working with Nd:YAG, erbium, diode and 9,300 nm CO₂ lasers, he now performs his releases with a LightScalpel CO₂ laser.

"LightScalpel has proven to be the best wavelength I've used. Its service is excellent, reliability is unmatched, and maintenance is straightforward." - Lawrence A. Kotlow, DDS

Read his story: https://na2.hubs.ly/H08hYs00

10/12/2026

A diode glass tip, an erbium laser, and a CO₂ laser all cut soft tissue, but each interacts with tissue differently. In his Compendium industry update, LightScalpel co-founder Peter Vitruk, PhD, MInstP, compares the various types of soft-tissue dental lasers and explains what these distinctions mean for practitioners choosing a laser.

Read the update: https://na2.hubs.ly/H08hYs30

10/01/2026

LightScalpel is exhibiting at the 108th AAOMS Annual Meeting in Seattle. Stop by Booth 426 to see our CO2 laser in action and talk with our team about applications in oral and facial surgery, from intraoral soft-tissue procedures to blepharoplasty and facial skin lesion excision. The flexible fiber waveguide reaches the posterior oral cavity and works just as easily on the face.

Free educational materials available at the booth.

American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons - AAOMS

09/28/2026

Infant Frenectomy: When Millimeters Matter 👶🏼👅

Not every tongue-tie release is the same.

This little one presented with a significant tongue restriction and an extremely limited surgical field, with very little space between the tissue being released and important nearby anatomy—including the sublingual caruncles, where the salivary ducts open.

Cases like this highlight why experience, precision, and technology matter.

When working in an area this small, millimeters matter. Careful identification and protection of the surrounding anatomy are critical, as injury to nearby structures can have significant consequences.

At Tooth & Co., Dr. Chase uses the CO₂ LightScalpel laser, which allows him to work with precision and control within these very small treatment areas.

Dr. Chase has performed more than 1,000 releases, giving him extensive experience evaluating and treating oral restrictions—from straightforward cases to more complex presentations like this one.

✨ What we prioritize with every release:
Careful evaluation of anatomy and function
Precision in a very small surgical field
Protection of important surrounding structures
Advanced CO₂ laser technology
Dr. Chase’s experience with 1,000+ releases
Post-operative guidance and follow-up

Our goal isn't simply to "cut a tie." It's to perform an appropriate, precise release while respecting and protecting the surrounding anatomy.

The before-and-after photos show the immediate anatomical change following the release and demonstrate just how limited the working space was in this case. Functional outcomes and healing occur over time and vary from patient to patient.
When the working space is measured in millimeters, experience and precision matter.

Experience. Precision. Technology. Thoughtful care.
That’s what we want every family to receive at Tooth & Co.

09/17/2026

09/15/2026

Dixie Mobley, DMD, of Pearl & Pine Dental Studio in Gulf Breeze, FL, now offers state-of-the-art LightScalpel CO2 laser procedures for patients of all ages. Dr. Mobley uses the LightScalpel laser for tongue- and lip-tie releases (frenectomy), including treatment for infants experiencing feeding or breastfeeding challenges related to oral restrictions. She also offers soft-palate laser treatment for eligible patients to help address snoring symptoms. Her advanced training in airway-focused care and infant frenectomy supports a comprehensive approach personalized to each patient's needs.

LightScalpel CO2 laser benefits for patients include minimized bleeding, less swelling and discomfort, reduced risk of infection, shortened procedure time, and smoother recovery. For patients with tongue- or lip-ties, releasing restrictive tissue may support feeding, swallowing, breathing, speech, and overall oral function.

To learn more or schedule a consultation with Pearl & Pine Dental Studio in Gulf Breeze, visit pearlandpinedentalstudio.com or call (850) 565-9639.

To learn more about the LightScalpel laser and its benefits, please visit: lightscalpel.com/patient-laser-surgery

09/04/2026

Happy Labor Day from LightScalpel!

Today, we celebrate the dedication and hard work of healthcare professionals and everyone who helps care for patients each day.

Our office will be closed Monday, September 7, in observance of Labor Day. We wish you a safe and relaxing holiday!