You have probably heard about Lasik or laser eye surgery, laser hair removal, and even laser resurfacing (for the face). Hence, you are somewhat aware of what lasers are and how they benefit the medical industry. Due to the advancements in medicine, laser-based surgeries have enhanced mankind’s physical well-being in recent times. But did you know that lasers are also used for oral health?
It’s true. Laser-assisted dental medicine, or laser dentistry, has brought about significant changes in how both patients and dentists perceive dental treatments. Today, most of the invasive dental treatments that we know of, such as root canals, wisdom tooth extraction, gum recession surgeries, and much more, have become much less complicated due to the advent of laser dentistry.
Thus, we can conclude that laser dentistry is an extension of modern dentistry. Also, it is important to note that the amalgamation of lasers in dentistry is still an emerging advancement. There is a significant avenue of growth embedded in the future of dentistry that will include a resourceful combination of lasers and light amplification to emit the scope of radiation in dentistry, to a certain extent.
What is Laser Dentistry?
Let us start with understanding why there was a need to integrate lasers into dentistry.
Conventionally, people had to deal with invasive dental treatments and surgeries that exposed patients to an uncomfortable or unpleasant experience. For these reasons, people began to steer away from dentists and were highly discouraged to continue seeking professional dental care.
Thus, the advent of lasers has completely revolutionized how people perceive dental treatments. Today, instead of traditional methods dental drills, cleaning tools, enamel scissors, and much more, dentists have adopted an enhanced approach by making use of strong laser beams to provide their patients with exceptional treatment care and better levels of comfort. Thus, it can be noted that lasers have played an influential role in eradicating dentophobia or dental fear among patients.
Apart from providing patients with a pain-free treatment experience, lasers that are employed in a dental treatment procedure have amplified the dentist’s capability to perform dental treatments with more precision and accuracy. Now with the utility of lasers, patients no longer require sutures or any other post-op procedures.
So how do dental lasers work?
Lasers include a high-energy beam that is concentrated over the treatment area or the surgical site of your mouth. When the beam of light emitted from these lasers come into contact with your gum tissues, their functions entail either one or both of these roles:
- Cuts the gum tissues
- Vaporizes gum tissues
In addition to this, when the lasers meet your mouth, the light energy emanating from the same acts as a heat source over your teeth.
Moreover, the use of lasers in dentistry is largely classified into two types: soft-tissue laser application, and hard-tissue laser application.
Unsure of what these terms are? Keep reading to find out.
Benefits of Laser Dentistry:
The benefits of laser dentistry extend to both patients and dentists alike. Here at Micris Dental Clinic, our dentist is proficient in providing laser-equipped modern dental treatments to both adults and children. Highlighted below are the key benefits of laser-assisted dentistry:
- Lasers accelerate the healing of the treatment region or surgical site in your mouth
- You can witness a faster tissue regeneration process aided by dental lasers
- There is little to no need for stitches or sutures when you are dealing with lasers. Yay!
- You won’t require anesthesia since lasers enable you to experience virtually pain-free dental treatment.
- As opposed to conventional dental treatments, there is only minimal bleeding when procedures involving lasers are employed.
- Regardless of the type of laser used in your dental treatment, the natural structure of your teeth can be preserved.
- Since lasers can be used around metal, they can easily be employed for comprehensive dental procedures like implants, crowns, orthodontic treatments, and whatnot.
- Also, since laser procedures are radiation-free, pregnant patients can experience worry-free dental treatments.
Types of Lasers:
While there is an exhaustive list of laser dentists use for their dental procedures, they can be notably classified into two types:
Hard-tissue Lasers
These lasers are high-powered and, hence, have the power to slice through the tooth structure. The lasers are activated by a combination of both water and a mineral present in your teeth. It is used to form teeth in preparation for composite bonding. Hard lasers are frequently used for composite bonding treatments, restoring dental fillings, and also for removing enamel from your teeth.
Soft-tissue Lasers
Lasers are absorbed in soft tissues by the tissue's water and haemoglobin (a protein found in red blood cells). Thus, with the help of these laser-equipped soft tissue procedures, dentists can easily treat periodontal diseases like gum disease, or periodontitis, which is caused by bacterial infections that cause cavities and stimulate tissue regrowth in the gums.
4 ways Lasers are used in Dentistry:
Lasers have now become a paragon of proficiency in the dental world. Owing to the wide acceptance of laser-embedded dental treatments, dentists today are retreating from the conventional approach to professional dental care. Let us take a look at some of the ways in which lasers have benefited dental medicine:
1. Laser-Assisted Frenectomy:
Ankyloglossia, or tongue tie, refers to the short frenulum, which is the soft tissue that acts as a connector between the tongue and the floor of the mouth. Due to a short frenulum, infants and even children of younger ages cannot achieve a full movement of their tongues. This can impose a varied set of problems on your little ones, like:
- Breastfeeding difficulties or problems
- Speech development stymied
- Exposure may reduce the risk of other dental problems, such as tooth decay
Hence, a frenectomy will be required under these circumstances. The classical approach to a tongue-tie procedure involves sterile scissors cuts and sutures. However, because scissor cuts are used on your children’s soft tissue regions, there is a risk of bleeding, scarring, and even trauma in the younger patients.
Thus, a laser-assisted frenectomy is a better alternative to the usual procedure. Using concentrated yet safe levels of light beams, the dentist can easily manipulate laser technology to treat tongue tie problems without harming the surrounding gum tissues. Furthermore, because there is no bleeding with this approach, your child’s surgical site will recover faster and easier.
2. Teeth Whitening Treatments:
Teeth whitening is one of the most popular cosmetic dental procedures. The process usually entails the application of hydrogen peroxide to your teeth. This chemical solution is used to remove any evidence of stains and discolouration from your teeth.
So how are lasers incorporated into this treatment procedure?
Lasers are used to enhance the speed and efficiency of your teeth-whitening treatment. Along with the much-needed acceleration in this process, these dental lasers also help to improve the dental expert’s precision in treating the patient’s teeth. Moreover, with the aid of dental lasers, patients can now obtain personalized whitening care due to the inconsistency in the discolouration of their teeth.
3. Drilling-Free Tooth Preparation
Dentophobia is one of the most significant facets of neglect in one’s oral care. Burdened with the anxiety and fear of noises or sensations associated with the dental realm, many people tend to skip their routine check-ups. Thus, ridden with fear of being confronted with drills, pricks, needles, etc., people would rather have a toothache than get the necessitated dental care.
Therefore, lasers are considered a boon in modern dentistry because they help patients relieve their fears and encourage them to adopt healthy dental habits, such as:
- Visiting the dentist regularly
- Getting routine dental cleanings
- Enduring complex dental surgeries
A drill-free tooth prep process helps reduce the risk of pain and bleeding, thus amplifying your comfort levels during dental treatment.
4. Treating Gum Diseases
According to World Health Organization (WHO) data, there are more than one billion cases of periodontal diseases recorded annually. These statistics simply prove that gum diseases need to be treated in more than one way. Thus, by integrating lasers into professional dental care, gum diseases and periodontal diseases can be treated innovatively and efficiently.
Now let’s understand how lasers work with gums.
Lasers are smart technological devices that are equipped to target the problem area in your gums and remove small amounts of the gum tissue, i.e., the infected area, from your mouth. In addition to this, lasers can focus solely on inflamed gums without inflicting damage or removing your healthy tissues. As reiterated before, since lasers have quick healing properties, your gums can effortlessly recover from chronic infections.
Sutures Scalpels Drills
Say goodbye to anxiety, fear, and discomfort. Our dentists at Micris Dental Clinic are specially trained to provide you with a comfortable treatment experience while also ensuring that you achieve the best possible outcomes for your oral health.
Are Dental Lasers Used Everywhere in Dentistry?
Yes! Dental lasers are the solution to all your concerns regarding their effectiveness and their pain levels. Furthermore, because lasers have been widely used in all fields of dentistry, from aesthetic and restorative dentistry to paediatric dentistry, they are less expensive and provide immediate and optimal results for your oral health. Here are some of the other ways in which laser-assisted dental treatments help patients:
- They are used in “biopsy sampling” to test for oral cancers
- Dental lasers can treat lesions in your mouth such as ulcers, canker sores, or even cold sores.
- Lasers aid in the detection of precise margins of your teeth structure and gums during complex dental treatment procedures.
- Lasers are a pivotal element of smile rejuvenation treatments (ex: gummy smiles).
In conclusion, laser dentistry plays a key role in influencing your experience as a patient, as well as a doctor’s abilities as a proficient dentist. Here at Micris Dental Clinic, our dentists are prolific in adapting to modern dentistry, thus ensuring that our patients receive the finest dental treatments with the best possible outcomes.
