Laser dentistry can be a precise and effective way to perform many dental procedures. The potential for laser dentistry to improve dental procedures rests in the dentist’s ability to control power output and the duration of exposure on the tissue (whether gum or tooth structure), allowing for treatment of a highly specific area of focus without damaging surrounding tissues.
If you consider yourself somewhat of an anxious dental patient and are seeking extreme safety and comfort, Prosper Family Dentistry has now incorporated laser dentistry techniques into their practices and treatments.
The applications for dental lasers are almost endless. The rotating dentist’s drill with the sound that everyone hates is destined to become a tool of the past. Greater numbers of dentists will use laser technology to provide patients with precision treatment that minimizes pain and recovery time. Laser dentistry is a not a new technique, but the technology has vastly improved in the past several decades and is now becoming a mainstream tool in dentistry. Laser dental tools such as WaterLase are even eliminating the need for local anesthesia during routing procedures such as taking care of cavities. These feature are boons for pediatric dentistry as well as in dental procedure for adults that historically hate the dental chair.
Benefits of Laser Dentistry?
Here are some of the major benefits associated with laser dentistry:
- – Procedures performed using soft tissue dental lasers may not require sutures (stitches).
- – Certain laser dentistry procedures do not require anesthesia.
- – Laser dentistry minimizes bleeding because the high-energy light beam aids in the clotting (coagulation) of exposed blood vessels, thus inhibiting blood loss.
- – Bacterial infections are minimized because the high-energy beam sterilizes the area being worked on.
- – Damage to surrounding tissue is minimized.
- – Wounds heal faster and tissues can be regenerated.
There are a variety of uses for lasers in the field of dentistry. Lasers can be used for cavity removal, teeth whitening, gum reshaping, and to harden bonding materials used in fillings. In addition, lasers are used in periodontal care to remove bacteria from periodontal pockets.
The Benefits of Laser Dentistry for Kids
One of the largest benefits to both adults and children is the fact that the laser delivers a virtually pain-free and comfortable experience. More importantly though, it allows us to not have to administer shots when treating a patient. There is a significant fear for some patients that come to see us about receiving a shot. The same can be said for little children in some cases this can be a much larger fear then for adults.
What we have found, is that children who never have to experience a shot, are much more happy and relaxed in the chair when we are doing the procedure. In fact, this experience allows them to not fear dentists from an early age, and that is a good thing for their future dental health.
Safer and Less Invasive
As a child’s mouth develops, making sure that trauma does not impact that future development is paramount. Because the laser is so minimally invasive and precise, the risk for that type of trauma is greatly reduced. It also allows for a much faster recovery time the child’s mouth and it makes future dental appointments a lot less troublesome for you as the parent.
Exceptional Patient Comfort
The main triggers of pain, when visiting the dentist are heat, pressure, and vibration. Thankfully, laser dentistry allows us to perform any routine procedures without having any of these triggers of pain. This allows us to rely much less on pain medication and your child’s mouth will not be numb for hours after the visit.
Fewer Dental Visits
As we all know, dental appointments can be both disruptive to your children schedule as well as yours. Because laser dentistry allows us to perform more work without the need of shots or anesthesia, we are able to do a lot more work in a single visit. Because of this, it reduces the amount of scheduling that is needed to take care of your child’s mouth.
How Does Laser Dentistry Work?
Dental lasers emit light that deliver quick pulses of heat energy to the treatment area. Various wavelengths are used depending on the type of tissue being treated. Surgical lasers are more accurate than traditional dental treatments and allow the dentist to conserve as much bone and tooth as possible.
Lasers for the Removal of Decay and Damaged Gums
Lasers can also eliminate the need for the dental drill and reduce patients’ fears about treatment. Laser tools such as the Waterlase® system and diode lasers can be used to vaporize decay and treatment is virtually painless, eliminating the need for anesthesia.
Summary
The rotating dentist’s drill (a sound that give patients nightmare) is on the verge of becoming a dental tool of the past. Lasers can now do everything the rotating drill-from-hell can do, and in many cases, without the need for “any” anesthesia. No more talking with a thick tongue or fuzzy numb lips. No more hearing that shrill screaming demon sound that give you and your children nightmares.
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