Advances in Laser Dentistry: How It Can Benefit Your Oral Health

An Insight into Laser Dentistry

“Lasers are the most concentrated form of energy we have yet achieved,” said Theodore Maiman, the creator of the first working laser beam. Lasers are used as a multipurpose tool in the fields of manufacturing, barcode scanning, fiber optics, and healthcare—laser technology has a wide range of uses. Laser dentistry has revolutionized the idea of keeping patients satisfied by increasing successful outcomes and reducing complications. The precision and versatility that lasers offer have made invasive and non-invasive dental treatments quick and easy for you!

How do Dental Laser treatments Work?

LASER is an acronym or a concise version for ‘light amplification by the stimulated emission of radiation.’ Confused? In basic terms, it is a concentrated, thin beam of light that can interact with your teeth and gums through its light and heat energy.

How Does a Dental Laser Work?

The science behind the mode of action of dental lasers is called “photothermolysis.” ‘Photo’ as we know, is light, and ‘thermo,’ rather thermal, is the heat produced by that light to cause ‘lysis,’ or some sort of breakdown in tissues—-it could be anything from repair, regrowth, or remodeling (or the change of form and structure). This highly specialized light beam is barely painful!

When the teeth or the gums absorb the laser light, it converts it to heat, which causes localized changes. Your dentist will choose the wavelength of light that is correct for you—hard or soft. Hard lasers are used to cut harder areas like the teeth and the bones, whereas softer areas can be used for the gums. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has supported and endorsed the use of lasers in dental procedures; they consider them bio-friendly and safe.

Laser Dentistry for Better Oral Health:

Soft Tissue Laser Uses:

• LANAP (Laser-assisted new attachment procedure) is another name for gum surgery that is commonly done with a laser. Swollen, loose, and receded gums can be re-attached to healthy jaw bones by effectively treating them with laser technology.
• Crown lengthening: Reshaping gum tissue and bone to expose more tooth surfaces for dental restorations. Recontouring and reshaping the gums can provide better-looking dental crowns and bridges.
• Modifying any uncomfortable and incorrect mouth muscle attachments, like misplaced frenum (lip attachment to the gums) can be painlessly performed by the dental laser.
• Getting rid of soft tissue folds (those formed after extraction or as a result of ill-fitting dentures) for better oral hygiene, and denture stability.
• Tongue-tie issues (the tongue’s improperly positioned frenum attachment is cut with a laser) can be treated with almost no pain.
• Lasers offer a painless and non-bleeding approach for resecting non-cancerous tumors in the head and neck region.

Applications of Hard-tissue Lasers:

• Cavity treatment: precise removal of decayed tooth structure can be done without the annoying hum of conventional drills.
• Tooth sensitivity treatment: Sealing and desensitizing exposed dentin and worn-out teeth can be painlessly done with lasers.
• Dental bonding: Preparing tooth surfaces for better bonding of tooth-colored filling materials
• Laser teeth whitening: Laser-assisted tooth whitening procedures use hard-tissue lasers to activate bleaching agents, resulting in a faster and more effective whitening process.
• Contouring and preparation of the jawbone for dental implant placement or bone grafting can be seamlessly done with laser dentistry.

A Few Unknown Uses of Dental Laser Treatments

High-intensity laser lights are usually used to heat, cut, and contour tissues and kill bacteria, whereas low-intensity laser therapy (LILT-specific wavelengths (830-904 nm) has a much milder approach, is non-invasive, and helps in slow healing.

You’ll be surprised to see how lasers can be helpful:

• Lasers can improve long-standing temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) pain. LILT promotes healing by reducing nerve impulses, improving muscle movements, and promoting blood flow to the joint. Eventually, this helps solve mouth opening, chewing, and speech problems.
• Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) with Er: YAG lasers can treat sleep problems like mouth breathing during sleep, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and snoring. In addition, Laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) targets the breathing channels and the palate, minimizing obstructions in the airflow.
• Lasers can also solve facial pains of unknown origin and improve facial palsy.

Benefits of Dental Laser Technology

Dental lasers are for both patients and dentists. Let us see how they can help with treatment success:

• Laser dentistry is patient-friendly and comfortable for you and your dentist. Well, you can now stay away from the annoying drilling sounds and the sharp dental tools. Much to your surprise, there is almost NO bleeding.
• Dental lasers promote faster blood clotting and reduce the chances of post-extraction bleeding. Recovery is quick and smooth.
• Your dentist might use lasers to sterilize the area of operation, reducing the risk of residual infections by killing bacteria. This saves you from multiple courses of antibiotics.

Conclusion

If your dentist in Dundas has advised gum surgery and you are anxious about the pain and the bleeding — then look into laser dentistry now. Dental lasers are both dentist and patient-friendly as they have the fastest appointment time and quickest healing period. With some groundbreaking advancements in this technology, Laser dentistry in Dundas has changed the idea of dental anxiety worldwide.