For treating many dental problems, the use of laser is becoming popular. Laser dentistry is quite comfortable for various dental procedures involving hard or soft tissue. The full form of LASER is ‘light amplification by the stimulated emission of radiation’. The instrument emits light energy in the form of a very narrow and focused beam. A reaction takes place when the laser light hits the tissue, allowing it to shape or remove the tissue. We got to know from the experts of a dental clinic in Newtown that the use of laser dentistry is for:
- The treatment of tooth decay
- Tooth sensitivity
- The treatment of gum disease
- Whitening of teeth
Dental treatments become more efficient, comfortable and cost-effective by the use of lasers.
The procedures
Hard tissue and soft tissue procedures are used for laser dentistry. Soft tissue refers to the gums and hard tissue refers to the teeth. The following are some common hard tissue procedures:
- Treating tooth sensitivity: The best dentist in Newtown uses dental lasers to seal tubules on the tooth’s root when teeth become sensitive to hot and cold.
- Cavity detection: It is possible to find evidence of tooth decay with the help of lasers as these can detect cavities early.
- Cavity treatment: Lasers can kill the bacteria in a cavity, which makes a tooth last longer.
Some common soft tissue procedures are:
- Treating a ‘gummy smile’: For reshaping gum tissue associated with ‘gummy smile’, in which the length of the gums covers a major portion of the tooth, the use of lasers is effective.
- Crown lengthening: In this procedure, the laser reshapes both the bone and the gum tissue for a healthy structure of the tooth. It makes the placement of restorations on the teeth easy.
- Removing soft tissue folds: It is possible to remove soft tissue folds from ill-fitting dentures without pain by the use of laser.
Some other laser procedures are:
- Viewing tissues: A specialist attached to the best dental clinic in Kolkata can safely see inside a tooth or gum tissue with the help of optical coherence tomography.
- Teeth whitening: During teeth whitening sessions, lasers speed up the bleaching process.
Types of lasers used for Laser Dentistry
Depending on the treatment, dentists use either soft tissue or hard tissue lasers. The use of soft tissue lasers is for treating periodontitis by killing bacteria and activating tissue regrowth. Hard tissue lasers help to prepare or shape teeth for composite bonding, repair worn down dental fillings and remove some tooth structure.
Benefits of laser dentistry
- A decreased need for sutures with soft tissue lasers
- Minimal bleeding in treating soft tissues
- Anaesthesia is not necessary during some procedures
- Minimal chance of bacterial infection
- Faster healing of wounds
- Less damage to the surrounding tissues