For many, dental appointments are plain scary. A dentist is putting in sharp tools, metal instruments, and noisy drills in your mouth, and you’re supposed to act natural? No wonder so many people avoid getting dental treatments until they absolutely have to.
Thankfully, with the advancement in technology, more comfortable treatment options are now available. Laser dentistry is now employed for many dental procedures involving soft and hard oral tissues.
What is Laser Dentistry?
LASER stands for “light amplification by the stimulated emission of radiation.” In laser dentistry, an intense beam of light energy is used for various dental procedures. It is a less painful and comfortable alternative to traditional dentistry practices. When the laser light hits the oral tissues, it produces a reaction that allows the dentist to shape or remove the tissues.
Lasers have been used to treat dental issues since 1994. It has also received the FDA’s seal of approval. At the same time, the American Dental Association (ADA) has high hopes regarding the potential of laser dentistry.
Laser dentistry can make procedures easier, efficient, and cost-effective with less recovery time. Here are a few procedures which are now being conducted using lasers.
- professional teeth whitening
- treatment of tooth decay
- treatment of hypersensitivity
- treatment of gum disease
Procedures Laser Dentistry
There are two main procedures performed by general dentists using lasers. Both these procedures are pain-free and comfortable for the patients.
- Hard tissue procedures involving teeth
- Soft tissue procedures involving gums
Soft Tissue Procedures
Some of the common soft tissue procedures done by laser dentistry are:
I. Getting Rid of a Gummy Smile
A gummy smile is also called excessive gingival display. It’s a dental problem in which when a person smiles, more gums are visible than they would prefer. Those who are bothered by a gummy smile can improve their smiles with laser treatment.
The corrective procedure involves reshaping the gums, so they cover less area of the teeth.
II. Tongue Frenulum Attachment
The skin fold under your tongue that anchors to the mouth floor is called the frenulum. Those kids who are born with a thick frenulum have difficulty in breastfeeding and speaking. Laser treatment can be used for performing frenectomy.
Lasers have made this procedure almost painless and bearable for the children.
III. Crown Lengthening
Laser treatment is used to reshape the gum tissues to promote a healthy tooth structure. Crown lengthening also helps in easily performing teeth restoration procedures.
IV. Soft Tissue Removal
Older people or people who have lost their teeth because of any health condition are fitted with dentures. These are fake teeth that fit on your jaw. Sometimes soft tissue folds can make it difficult for the dentures to fit properly, leading to problems in chewing and speaking.
Lasers can easily remove these folds without any need for cuts or sutures. It’s again a pain-free procedure because of the use of the lasers.
Hard Tissue Procedures
A few of the common soft tissue procedures are:
I. Dental Fillings and Tooth preparation
Laser dental treatments don’t involve dental drills and anesthesia injections. A laser beam can destroy bacteria in the tooth cavity. This helps in maintaining healthy teeth.
II. Teeth Sensitivity
Teeth sensitivity is when your teeth become sensitive to hot and cold food, and you feel a temporary but sharp pain in your mouth. An exposed tooth’s root might be the cause of this pain. Lasers can treat teeth sensitivity by sealing the exposed tubules on the roots of the teeth.
III. Detecting Cavity
Tooth cavities don’t become apparent until you start feeling tooth sensitivity and toothache. With lasers, early detection is possible. This way, treatment can be given before the issue gets worse.
Is Laser Dentistry Expensive?
The answer is no. Laser treatments vary in price depending upon the procedure. But, unlike traditional procedures, they require fewer sessions. That’s why they tend to be less expensive.
This means that laser treatments are not only efficient and pain-free but they are also cost-effective.
Type of Lasers Used
In dental care, both soft and hard tissue lasers are used. The preferred type will depend on the dental procedure. In some treatments, both types of lasers are used.
I. Soft Tissue Lasers
These are absorbed through hemoglobin and water. Soft tissue lasers are used to treat a variety of issues, including periodontitis, tissue regrowth activation, and killing bacteria.
When soft tissue lasers penetrate the tissues, they also seal blood vessels and nerve endings. This is why the procedures are almost painless with a faster recovery time.
II. Hard Tissue Lasers
They are absorbed by the combination of a mineral in the enamel of a tooth and water. They are employed in many procedures, for example, for repairing dental fillings, shaping and preparing teeth for bonding, or removing any tooth structure.
Why is Laser Dentistry Preferred Over Traditional Procedures?
- The procedure is indeed almost painless. So, laser dentistry is more comfortable for the patients.
- Tissues present around the area of the dental procedure are subject to less damage, as there is no cutting and drilling involved.
- There are very low chances of bacterial infections because laser kills all the bacteria and sterilizes that area.
- As the lasers encourage blood clot formation, bleeding after a dental procedure is also minimum.
- The recovery time is minimal, as the wounds heal faster.
- Unlike traditional dental procedures, not every laser procedure requires anesthesia.
- There is less need for sutures.
If you are looking to get your dental procedures done using laser dentistry, then you should book an appointment with West Hills Smiles.
We have highly trained and professional general and cosmetic dentists who are trained to perform laser dentistry. Our mission is to stay updated with all the latest methods and technology.
We have all the newest equipment, including Diagnodent® laser technology. This helps us provide almost pain-free and quality general, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry services in Woodland Hills, CA. Our services include general dentistry, professional teeth whitening, and porcelain veneers.
For more information, visit our website.