Our Dental Technology

Inspire Dental Wellness uses several advanced clinical tools to support airway-centered, preservation-first dental care. Below is a quick tour of each — what it is, when patients see it, and how it ties into the treatment we recommend. None of these tools change what care you need; they help us see your case more clearly so the recommendations we make are based on better information.

• Cone Beam CT (CBCT) Imaging
• LightScalpel CO2 Laser
• MLS Laser
• T-Scan Bite Analysis
• Bio JVA Joint Vibration Analysis
• Surgical Scissors (adult frenectomy)

Cone Beam CT (CBCT) Imaging

What it is. Cone Beam Computed Tomography is a 3D dental imaging system that captures the bone, airway, sinus, and tooth-root anatomy of your jaw and skull in a single short scan. It uses meaningfully less radiation than a medical CT scan, and the data is captured while you sit upright in about 20 seconds — no contrast, no IV, no waiting room.

When patients see it at our practice. CBCT is the imaging foundation of our airway and orthodontic work. Dr. Erica uses it to measure airway volume and minimum cross-section area before and after expansion-based orthodontic treatment, to plan complex frenectomy cases, to evaluate sleep apnea referrals from a dental-airway perspective, and to guide implant restoration planning when working with our oral surgery partner.

Why it matters clinically. A 2D panoramic X-ray flattens a 3D problem. CBCT keeps the third dimension — which is the dimension airway, jaw-joint geometry, and root-tip anatomy actually live in. For airway-focused care, that distinction is the difference between guessing and measuring.

LightScalpel CO2 Laser

What it is. The LightScalpel is a precision CO2 surgical laser used for soft-tissue procedures in the mouth. Instead of a steel blade, it uses focused light energy at a wavelength that is strongly absorbed by water in oral soft tissue — making it well-suited to releasing the small lingual or labial frenum tissues involved in tongue-tie and lip-tie.

When patients see it at our practice. The LightScalpel is Dr. Erica’s primary instrument for frenectomy procedures across infants, kids, and adults. It’s the technique she trained on directly with Dr. Soroush Zaghi at The Breathe Institute in Los Angeles and has been performing since 2015.

MLS Laser

What it is. The MLS (Multiwave Locked System) Laser is a dual-wavelength photobiomodulation (low-level laser) device. Unlike the LightScalpel, it doesn’t cut tissue — it delivers calibrated wavelengths of light that are studied for supporting comfort during orthodontic care, soft-tissue support during the post-operative healing window, and muscle work in TMJ-related care.

When patients see it at our practice. Most often during orthodontic care — we use the MLS laser’s photobiomodulation to support comfort through treatment, since research suggests it may ease the soreness that can follow adjustments (results vary). You’ll also see it as a brief soft-tissue pass after a frenectomy to support the early healing window, and during TMJ care when there’s a soft-tissue or muscle component. No injection or anesthesia is required for the MLS pass itself; it’s a non-invasive part of the visit.

T-Scan Bite Analysis

What it is. The T-Scan is a thin digital sensor you bite down on that records, in real time, exactly where your teeth contact each other and how that contact distributes force as you close. Articulating paper (the blue/red marking strips most patients are familiar with) shows where teeth meet but not when or with how much force. T-Scan adds the missing time and pressure data.

When patients see it at our practice. T-Scan shows up in two places: TMJ workup, where uneven bite-force timing is often part of why a jaw is irritated; and after restorative work like crowns or fillings, where verifying that the new restoration loads evenly with your existing teeth helps the bite settle without creating new stress points.

Bio JVA (Joint Vibration Analysis)

What it is. Bio JVA is a TMJ diagnostic device that records the vibrations your jaw joint makes as you open and close your mouth. Healthy joints move quietly; joints with disc displacement, surface roughness, or other internal disorders produce characteristic vibration signatures that can be measured and compared to normative data.

When patients see it at our practice. Bio JVA is part of Dr. Erica’s TMJ workup when symptoms suggest an internal joint issue (clicking, popping, locking, or asymmetric jaw movement) and we want objective data rather than a clinical impression alone. Reading the vibration profile alongside CBCT imaging and the T-Scan bite-force trace gives a more complete picture of what’s happening in the joint than any one tool can provide on its own.

Surgical Scissors (Adult Frenectomy Toolkit)

What it is. Sometimes the right tool for an adult frenectomy is a precision surgical scissors rather than the LightScalpel CO2 laser. Both are part of the toolkit; the choice depends on the specific anatomy of the case and what gives the cleanest release.

When patients see it at our practice. Adult frenectomy cases only. Dr. Erica selects between LightScalpel and scissors at the consultation based on the tissue thickness, attachment, and what the post-release function needs to look like. Infants and kids don’t see the scissors approach — the LightScalpel is the consistent choice for those age groups.

When you’ll see this technology in your care

Most patients don’t see all of these tools in a single visit. Each shows up where it’s clinically useful:

• If you’re here for airway-focused care — airway evaluation, sleep apnea screening, or functional orthodontics — you’ll likely see CBCT imaging, plus the MLS laser for comfort during orthodontic treatment.
• If you’re here for frenectomy — infant, kids, or adult — you’ll see the LightScalpel CO2 laser (and the MLS laser briefly afterward for healing support).
• If you’re here for TMJ or jaw-pain care, you may see Bio JVA, T-Scan, and CBCT working together as part of the workup.
• If you’re here for restorative care like crowns or bridges, you may see the T-Scan during the seat-and-verify step to confirm the new restoration loads evenly against your existing bite.

The technology is supporting context, not the headline. The clinical work is what Dr. Erica brings to the case — the listening, the airway lens, the preservation-first instinct. The tools just help us see your case more clearly.

Schedule a consultation

Curious whether airway-focused, preservation-first dental care is a fit for your situation? Call us at (708) 460-6699 or request a visit. Your first appointment runs about two hours: a thorough hygiene visit alongside extended one-on-one time with Dr. Erica — we listen, examine, and start your recommendations together.

Inspire Dental Wellness · 14512 John Humphrey Drive · Orland Park, IL 60462 · Mon 8–5 · Tue–Thu 7–3.