Spotlight: A Reason to Smile? Laser-Water Dental Drill OKd

For most people, a visit to the dentist is one of life’s least pleasant rituals, but a device approved by regulators could make the drill and the gum-numbing needle a thing of the past. San Clemente-based Biolase Inc. said the Food and Drug Administration approved its device that uses a spray of laser-powered water to cut teeth and repair cavities. The procedure is relatively painless, the company says. Wall Street reacted positively, sending Biolase’s stock soaring $1.19, or 56%, to $3.31 on Nasdaq.