Since the invention of laser, man has been continuously exploring the possibilities of using this tool in different aspects of life such as in research, business, sports, entertainment, defense and medicine. Laser dentistry is one such application. A laser is defined as the technology involving light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation and this is commonly used to perform dental procedures when it comes to laser dentistry.
Normally, lasers are used to cut, vaporize tissue, coagulate, and provide heat for activating chemicals as energy in the form of light is emitted. Through their varying wavelengths, dental lasers can be used for different functions. With regard to the application of lasers for oral treatment and surgery, new discoveries have been made in time.
With regard to laser dentistry applications, hard tissue procedures and soft tissue procedures are the two categories. The hard tissues are the teeth and the soft tissue pertains to the gums. Considered to be safe and effective for both are dental lasers.
Considering hard tissue laser procedures, you can expect the laser to remove tooth decay, prepare the surrounding enamel for filling, and kill the bacteria found in cavities when it comes to hard tissue laser procedures as it penetrates the bone and teeth. There is a laser that will be used to harden the restorative material such as amalgam that the dentist will use to fill up the tooth after the decay is removed. It will yield a stronger bond not to mention cut the time for the placement of filling.
The laser can easily treat tooth sensitivity by sealing the tubules or the area of the tooth near the root. The dentist can precisely work on specific areas of the teeth with the help of lasers and the thin beams prevent the onset of damage to the surrounding tissue. The use of lasers remains limited when it comes to this since dental drills are the perfect tools when it comes to the removal of crowns, onlays, and silver fillings.
With regard to soft tissue laser dentistry, to provide a stronger foundation for the placement of restorations, the gum tissue should be recontoured in order to expose the healthy tooth structure. People can improve their gummy smile through this process. For the gums, when tissue is affected by disease and bacteria, lasers can be used to remove them.
With the help of lasers, the frenum can be removed during the frenectomy procedure. It is the soft tissue connecting the tongue to the floor of the mouth that is the frenum. Infants might have difficulties breastfeeding when abnormalities exist in its structure and some people also end up tongue-tied.
Because of an overgrowth of tissue in the throat, a patient can experience breathing problems and in this case the throat can be reshaped through laser assisted uvuloplasty. A common procedure in laser dentistry is tooth whitening. The lightening process starts when the laser activates the whitening gel applied to yellow or discolored teeth.
Simply because of the advantages that come with laser dentistry procedures, people get them despite the expensive costs. They minimize pain as well as bleeding and swelling and this is why lasers eliminate the need for anesthesia. It works by preserve as much healthy tooth as possible and reducing bacterial infections.
However, laser has yet to replace certain traditional dentistry methods, so it looks like dental patients will still be seeing the dental drill on their next visit to the dentist. But there’s no need to fret. As experts continue to discover more applications of the laser in oral care, the future of laser dentistry looks as bright as shiny, white teeth.
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