Many people fear visiting dentists because they find the drills, needles and other equipment scary. But thanks to laser dentistry, this fear is no longer a concern.
As the name suggests, laser dentistry uses light beams to treat oral disorders that would otherwise require intrusive equipment. These disorders include canker sores, gum diseases, tooth decay, and tooth discolouration. Lasers are also helpful for lesion removal and cancer screening.
Examples of Laser Dentistry Procedures
Here are the most common laser dentistry procedures.
Hard Tissue Procedures
Hard tissue lasers use strong light beams used to cut through enamel and other tough tissues. These beams penetrate the calcium in the teeth and the jawbone. As a result, the patient doesn't have to get anaesthetic injections when receiving treatment.
The most popular use of hard tissue lasers is preparing damaged teeth for filling applications. The lasers ensure that the application site is sterilised and ready for treatment. Also, hard tissue lasers help treat sensitive teeth and remove damaged fillings says Enhanced Dental Studios.
Soft Tissue Procedures
Soft tissue lasers can penetrate gums and other soft tissue but can't go through teeth and bones. As the beams pass, they seal exposed capillaries to prevent bleeding and kill bacteria, lowering the risk of post-treatment infections.
Laser treatment ensures patients don't undergo the traditional and painful procedure for treating gum disease. It also helps with soft tissue grafting, gum alignment, and removing infected and necrotic tissue. In addition, soft laser treatment is the solution if you have folds caused by wearing dentures.
Other Laser Dentistry Procedures
Furthermore, laser beams can identify tooth decay before it becomes apparent. This helps patients to avoid the risk of undergoing dental x-rays. It also makes treatment cheaper since the doctor diagnoses the condition at its early stages.
Laser whitening is a viable alternative to traditional whitening methods. The dentist applies the whitening gel on the stained teeth and then uses laser beams to produce faster and more desirable results.
Lastly, lasers revolutionise tooth replacement remedies like crowns, dental bridges, and veneers. The technology allows dentists to recreate artificial teeth and make them indistinguishable from natural ones. Besides greater client satisfaction, the products are comfortable.
Benefits of Laser Dentistry
Here are the top benefits of laser dentistry.
- Minimal invasion: Lasers don't invade the patient's tissue, unlike traditional methods. This results in reduced pain and anxiety.
- Precision: lasers are so precise that the risk of error is almost zero.
- Sterilisation: lasers sterilise the treatment site, reducing the chance of future infections.
Risks and Recovery
As mentioned above, laser dentistry is almost risk-free. Complications are only likely to occur if the dentist uses the wrong wavelengths or doesn't know how to use the equipment, which is rare.
Regarding recovery, most laser dentistry procedures have mild side effects. You can resume your regular schedule a few hours or a day after treatment.
Wrapping Up
Laser dentistry is the solution to dental clinic phobia. Because it's less invasive, you recover faster, experience less bleeding, and the procedures are almost risk-free. If you were previously afraid of visiting your dentist, you no longer have an excuse!