What Are Dental Lasers and How Are They Used?

Lasers are widely used in many aspects of the medical world today. Recently, dentists have begun incorporating them into dental procedures as well because of its precision and other technological advantages.

Although currently only about five per cent of dental offices are using dental lasers, this technology has so much potential to improve the way many dental procedures are completed that it is certain to become quite a bit more widespread over the next several years. Many dentists are excited about the possibilities of laser dentistry because of its many advantages.

Dental lasers can be used to treat patients safely and effectively. With many procedures, anesthesia is not even necessary. Sutures are not necessary for many treatments as well because bleeding is minimized. This is because the laser is a high-energy light beam that helps to clot or coagulate the blood.

Wounds from dental procedures done with lasers heal faster than those done through traditional procedures. In addition, the risk of infection is greatly reduced because the high-energy beam sterilizes the area on which work is being done. Damages to surrounding, healthy tissue is less than it is through regular dental procedures, too.

All of these benefits clearly point toward laser dentistry being a useful tool for dentists. Many dental professionals have already been using the lasers to help their patients.

Dental lasers have been used to remove benign tumors from patients’ gums, cheeks, and lips. Previously, this was a painful procedure, one that required sutures. Another previously painful procedure—removal of soft-tissue folds caused by poorly-fitting dentures—can now be done with dental lasers, too.

Cavities can be treated early with dental lasers. Lasers can locate tooth decay earlier than it was possible before. The lasers can also be used for the fillings, eliminating the need for the painful needle of anesthesia and the drill. Instead the dental laser can simply kill the bacteria in the tooth.

Gum tissues can be reshaped with dental lasers as well. This can be used to fix people’s “gummy smiles.” It can also be done for crown lengthening treatments, where more of the tooth is exposed.

Babies and children who are diagnosed as “tongue-tied” (who, in other words, have problems with their tongue muscles being attached to the bases of their mouths) can have their problems cured with dental lasers. This can also help children with speech impediments.

With all of these possibilities for use of dental lasers—plus countless more that are not mentioned above—laser dentistry is certain to grow more popular very soon. Lasers will likely begin to be used to remove plaque and tartar from patients’ teeth during routine cleanings. Dental lasers will probably become a part of root canal surgeries. Many dentists will eventually be able to rid themselves of using the traditional dental drill because of all of the ways in which the dental lasers can be used.

The future of dentistry is in dental lasers. Patients will find this to be of great interest, too, since this means a future of much less pain from dental procedures.