There are two categories of dental lasers: hard lasers and soft lasers. Soft lasers are used to treat soft tissue problems such as gum disease, bacteria removal and for the removal of lesions or tissues that need to be biopsied. Hard lasers precisely cut through enamel and can be used for shaving down an uneven tooth, repairing old dental fillings, removing tooth decay and preparing a tooth for restoration.
Use of Dental Lasers:
- Detecting and removing cavities
- Treating gum disease
- Reshaping the gum line
- Crown lengthening
- Treating canker sores
- Biopsy
- Removing benign lesion
- Teeth whitening
- Tooth sensitivity by sealing the roots of a tooth
- Repairing soft tissue defects and congenital abnormalities
- Removing tissue to treat sleep apnea
Dental lasers are so precise, they can target a tooth’s nerves and blood vessels. While laser dentistry offers advantages over traditional treatment approaches, they cannot fill cavities between teeth or near old fillings, remove defective crowns, remove silver fillings or prepare teeth for bridges.
Benefits of Laser Dentistry
- Increased healing time
- Less post-surgical bleeding
- Less pain
- Anesthesia is not always necessary
- Lasers are sterile meaning less chance for an infection
- Lasers are precise, so less healthy tissue has to be removed
- Stitches are less likely to be needed
- Minimizing bleeding and swelling of soft tissue treatments
