Using Lasers for Dental Treatment

Patients who experience lots of anxiety when they visit the dentist may find that they prefer laser treatments because they reduce the need for needles and can cut down on both patient pain and recovery time.

The use of lasers is among the recent technological advances in dentistry. Lasers are efficient and precise, allowing the dentist to focus only on the area of the mouth that needs treatment. The success of laser dentistry lies in the ability of the dentist to maintain control over the power coming from the laser and how long the laser is used on the tooth structure or gums.

Benefits of Laser Dentistry?

There are some significant advantages to using lasers in dentistry

  • Using soft tissue dental lasers means you do not need stitches
  • Some procedures using laser dentistry do not need anesthesia.
  • Using dental lasers means less bleeding because the bean has high energy, which helps clot any blood vessels that may be exposed; stopping loss of blood
  • Low risk of infection (bacterial) because the laser beam sterilizes the area
  • Any potential damage to tissue surrounding the area is minimized because of precision.
  • Any wounds will heal faster as tissue will regenerate quickly

 

There are numerous ways in which lasers can be used in the dental field. Some procedures that have been adapted for the use of lasers include:

Hard Tissue Laser Procedures

  • Dental fillings – two parts of the dental filling experience that have previously seemed essential are the dental drill and the local anesthetic injection. Lasers have the ability to replace these instruments in conjunction with these procedures because they can kill bacteria that live inside cavities, perhaps resulting in improved outcomes of long-term tooth restorations. Please be aware, though, that lasers are not to be used to replace crowns, onlays, or amalgam fillings.
  • Reduction of tooth sensitivity – some patients’ teeth are extremely sensitive to heat and cold. These patients may find relief from the use of lasers to cut off the tubules in the roots of the teeth, a major source of this sensitivity.
  • Detecting cavities – when a low-intensity, soft-tissue dental laser hits an area of the mouth that is experiencing tooth decay, it gives off different byproducts than when it hits a healthy area. This can help dentists locate cavities, which can then be treated.

Soft Tissue Laser Procedures

  • Frenectomy(Muscle Attachment) – some patients, particularly children and babies, are unable to move their tongues in a full range of motion. This can severely limit their ability to breast feed, eat, and talk. Lasers can be used to release the tongue from its bonds, allowing the tongue to function normally.
  • Gummy Smile – this procedure, which exists to improve what is sometimes referred to as a “gummy smile,” consists of lasers being employed to sculpt the gum tissue in such a way as to better show off the patient’s healthy teeth.
  • Epulis (Soft Tissue Folds) – when a patient’s dentures do not fit properly, the patient may develop soft tissue folds, which can be taken out painlessly and without stitches through the use of dental laser technology.
  • Crown lengthening – when a laser is employed to reshape the patient’s bone (hard tissue laser) and gum tissue (soft tissue laser) in order to reveal more of their healthy teeth and serve as a solid base upon which restorations can be done.

Other Laser Procedures

  • Tooth whitening – low-intensity dental lasers can accelerate the bleaching process during a tooth whitening treatment.
  • Treatment of cold sores – some patients can get relief from painful cold sores using low-intensity dental lasers. At times, laser treatments have also reduced cold sore healing times.
  • Removal of benign tumors – if a patient has benign tumors on their cheeks, lips, gums, or palate, these can sometimes be removed via laser without stitches or pain.
  • Temporomandibular joint treatment – if a patient’s temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is inflamed and causing the patient pain, dental lasers can help alleviate these symptoms.
  • Nerve repair – in cases where the patient has injured blood vessels, nerves, and scars, dental lasers can be used in a process called photobiomodulation in order to repair these damaged areas.
  • Viewing gum tissues and teeth – a new technology called Optical Coherence Tomography can help dentists take a peek inside the gums and teeth in “real time.”
  • Sleep apnea treatment – obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the patient’s airway is blocked, causing them to stop breathing in their sleep. One possible source of this blockage is the overgrowth of tissues in the throat (which can happen as a patient ages). In such cases, the dentist can use a laser to reshape the throat tissue in order to alleviate the sleep apnea symptoms. The two different ways this can be accomplished are through laser-assisted uvuloplasty or laser-assisted palatoplasty (LAUP).

At Empress Walk Dental, we strive to always be able to treat our patients using the very latest in dental technology. As such, we have been very excited by the new developments with dental lasers. We have chosen to incorporate laser dentistry into our practice because we recognize that there are many benefits to laser use. Contact us today at 416-250-8000 to learn more.

We want to see you

Our Office

5095 Yonge St, Unit A1, North York, ON M2N 6Z4

Phone

(416) 250-8000

We provide free parking to our patients

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