The Benefits of Laser Dentistry
Laser dentistry is a relatively new innovation in the field of dentistry. Dental lasers treat both the teeth and the gums in a pain-free and rapid manner. Laser dentistry offers pain-free cavity preparation, minus the drilling and anesthetic injections that many people do not particularly enjoy. Laser dentistry can also treat gum disease (periodontal disease) in a gentle manner without the use of scalpels or stitches. Read on to learn more about the benefits of laser dentistry.
What is Laser Dentistry?
Lasers use extremely powerful, focused light beams to remove or alter tissues in the human body. Many medical professionals – not just dentists – use medical lasers to perform a wide variety of procedures. Dentists use lasers to reshape the soft tissue that surrounds the gums, remove unnecessary tissue, and whiten teeth. Laser dentistry is a fantastic choice for any condition related to the gums, such as:
- Removing benign oral tumors
- Exposing and preparing wisdom teeth for extraction
- Removing excess throat tissue that can cause sleep apnea
- Biopsy
- The treatment of periodontal disease
- Cold sore/canker sore pain treatment
- Destroying root canal infections
- The regeneration of damaged nerve tissue
- Removing inflamed gum tissue
Why is Laser Dentistry So Popular?
There are many benefits of laser dentistry that make it a first-choice for many dental patients. For certain procedures, a pain-free laser can mitigate the use of needles, scalpels, and other sharp instrumentation used in medical procedures (like the treatment of gum disease). Lasers also present less damage to the gum tissue than traditional dental surgery, which can greatly shorten the healing time and amount of blood lost during the procedure. Lasers have the benefit of gum sterilization, which will also make infection less likely.
For people that have a phobia of the dentist, laser dentistry is a great, non-invasive approach, especially for children who become anxious when they visit the dentist. Many people have a fear of sharp objects and laser dentistry removes this fear. Another benefit of laser dentistry? Less time spent in the dental office and a rapid return to daily life after treatment.
Types of Dental Lasers
Different lasers have different strengths, or wavelengths. For practical purposes, we’ll call the two most common types of dental lasers soft-tissue lasers and hard-tissue lasers. By altering the pulse and wavelength of these lasers, dentists and scientists have fine-tuned these lasers for the safe treatment of mouth and teeth issues.
Soft-tissue lasers work on the soft tissue of the mouth by emitting a wavelength that is easily absorbable by water and hemoglobin (a molecule found in blood). These lasers can remove gum tissue while sealing the exposed blood vessels at the same time, resulting in a quicker recovery process. These lasers are great for removing folds in oral tissue, reshaping the gums, lengthening crowns, and fixing restricted tongue movement. Gum disease is no-match for this piece of medical equipment.
Hard-tissue lasers are much stronger than soft-tissue lasers, as they are able to cut through water and bone. The calcium phosphate that is found in your teeth and bones can be cut and reshaped to help detect cavities, fix tooth sensitivity, and prepare teeth for dental fillings. Cavities are easily treatable with type of technology; a hard-tissue laser removes the need for anesthetic injections associated with drilling procedures.
Laser Dentistry New Jersey
The benefits of laser dentistry simply cannot be ignored; these lasers can be utilized to treat tooth decay, gum disease, hypersensitivity, and more! Due to their pain-free and swift nature, laser dentistry is becoming more and more popular every year. To schedule a laser dentistry session, give us a call at (201) 568-0606 or visit our contact page to schedule an appointment today!
