Some patients will opt to use laser treatments as this minimizes the use of needles and the recovery time is sufficiently less. There are various benefits to using laser dentistry treatment such as:
- The use of soft tissue dental laser signifies that the client will not require stitches
- A few procedures that use laser dentistry do not require anesthesia
- The laser beams help stop blood loss by clotting any blood vessels therefore he amount of bleeding is very minimal
- The laser beam also sterilizes the area of the mouth therefore the risk of infection is also minimal
Lasers have been adapted into the dental industry in a variety of ways, including the following:
Hard Tissue Laser Techniques
- Dental fillings: The use of lasers has replaced the drill used on tooth prior to having it filled as well as the anesthetic injection. This actually helps to kill bacteria remaining in the tooth as well as any living inside the tooth, this allows for the restoration to last a long period of time. Laser should not be used for replacing crowns, onlays, or amalgam fillings.
- Reduction of tooth sensitivity: Lasers are used to cut off the tubules in the root of the teeth causing pain; this leads to a big reduction of tooth sensitivity.
- Identifying cavities: Dentists will locate cavities by pointing the laser to the area advised by the client, at this point, the laser will show a different byproduct than if it was touching a healthy tooth area.
Soft Tissue Laser Techniques
- Frenectomy (Muscle Attachment): Dentist may have patients that can be described by using the term “tongue-tied”, this occurs regularly in children and babies. They will use the laser to release the tongue from its constraint allowing it to work naturally.
- Gummy smile: The gum tissue may need to be molded so as to improve a person’s smile where they will show more of their healthy teeth versus their gums.
- Epulis (Soft Tissue Folds): Sometimes a client’s dentures may not fit accurately; at this point the client may develop a soft tissue fold on the dentures. This can be removed without pain or stitches by the use of dental lasers.
Other Laser Procedures
- Tooth whitening: By using low-concentration dental lasers during a bleaching treatment, this can make the process faster.
- Benign tumor removal: Should a client have a benign tumor on the lips, cheeks, palate or gums, they can be eliminated by using the dental laser treatment.
- Nerve repair: Clients who have had injuries to their blood vessels, nerves, and have scars can use dental lasers to repair areas that have been damaged. This process is called photobiomodulation.
