Lasers in dentistry were first used in the year 1994 to treat some special kind of dental problems. Hence, in this post, we are going to tell you everything you need to know about lasers in dentistry.
What Are The Different Uses Of Lasers In Dentistry?
Tooth Decay
Lasers are often used in dentistry to remove decay within a tooth and thereby preparing the surrounding enamel for receipt of the filling.
Gum Diseases
Lasers are often used to reshape gums and for removing bacteria during root canal procedures.
Biopsy
Lasers are often used for removing a small piece of tissue otherwise called a biopsy in order to examine it for cancer. Additionally, lasers are also employed by dentists to remove lesions in the mouth and thus provide relief from canker sores.
Teeth Whitening
In certain special cases, the lasers are used for speeding up the process of in-office teeth whitening. This is done by applying a peroxide bleaching solution to the tooth surface, which is then activated by using laser energy, this, in turn, speeds up the whitening process.
How Do Lasers In Dentistry Work?
The lasers in dentistry essentially work by delivering energy in the form of light. When the lasers are used for surgical or dental procedures they act as a cutting instrument or a tissue vaporizer. Alternatively, when used during teeth whitening procedures the laser acts as a heat source and enhances the tooth-bleaching agents.
What Are The Pros Of Using Lasers In Dentistry?
- The lasers may cause less pain in certain instances, which, in turn, reduces the need for employing anesthesia.
- The lasers reduce anxiety in patients who are uncomfortable with the use of dental drills.
- It minimizes bleeding and swelling during the treatment of soft tissues.
- The lasers also preserve healthy teeth during cavity removal.
What Are The Cons Of Using Lasers In Dentistry?
- Lasers cannot be used on a tooth that already has a filling.
- Lasers despite their many advantages cannot be used during certain specific dental procedures. For example, lasers cannot be used to fill the cavities that are located between the teeth, around old fillings and large cavities. Likewise, lasers cannot be employed for removing defective crowns or even silver fillings. Additionally, the lasers in dentistry are ineffective in preparing the teeth for bridges.
- The traditional drills are often used by dentists during dental procedures and are needed despite employing the lasers. The traditional drills are needed by dentists to shape the filling, adjust the bite, and even polish the filling even after using lasers in dentistry.
- Lasers drastically reduce the pain caused to patients during dental procedures. But, despite this, the lasers cannot fully eliminate the need for anesthesia.
- Laser treatments are often reported to be more expensive, infact the cost of using lasers in dentistry is significantly higher than that of traditional drills.
Jason Gary is the author of this Article: To know more about lasers in dentistry please visit the website: spectralasedental.com
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