The Benefits of Laser Dentistry

“Beam me up Scotty, there’s no intelligent life down here.” Star Trek fans know all to well that stand by phrase uttered by Captain James T. Kirk as he explored new worlds and new planets seeking out life to observe. Captain Kirk might have to linger awhile if he were to beam down to Planet Earth and observe the cutting edge technology now being offered by the dentist of the 21’st century.

Laser dentistry is one of the new techniques being offered by dentist that promises to make dentistry even less painful and more practical and despite FDA approval lasers are only being used currently by an estimated six percent of all general dentists.
Laser dentistry can not be used for all dental procedures, sorry Captain Kirk, so even if you have a dentist who is using this technology it won’t replace the dreaded drill all of the time. Lasers can’t be used to fill cavities between teeth or around teeth with old fillings or for large cavities that require a crown.

However lasers can eliminate the need for a drill under certain circumstances and they have proven to be less stressful for patients, and cause less bleeding and less soft tissue swelling or damage than a traditional drill.

Lasers work as a beam of light that can cut through tissue like a scalpel and aid in tooth whitening by sending out heat to aid in the whitening process. Lasers can also be used to aid in the bonding of a filling to the tooth and for other specific dental procedures such as crown lengthening to expose healthier tooth and reshaping the gum tissue so restorations have a stronger foundation. Lasers can even be used in tooth cleaning by removing hard to remove tartar and in more complex processes such as creating a better smile. Lasers can also be used to get rid of a gummy smile by cutting away soft gum tissue to expose more teeth and a better smile.

If you are sensitive to hot and cold foods and liquids there wasn’t much that your dentist could do in the past other than advice you to avoid them. But today your dentist can use a laser to seal the tubules which are responsible for the sensation of hot and cold in your teeth. This means no more unexpected sharp pains when you have coffee or ice cream.
Lasers have proven to be effective in the limited venues they are currently being used for in dentistry. With all of the advances possible with lasers the popularity of laser dentistry will continue to catch on and grow in popularity, maybe even enough to impress Captain Kirk.