Laser Dentistry

The present and future of laser technology in dentistry.

The 20^th century has seen some amazing technological developments in dentistry. The addition of fluoride to drinking water, teledentistry, electric toothbrushes, 3d printing and better implants, and more have revolutionized our oral health. Laser dentistry is no exception. But what is it? How was it originally used, and what is the future of laser dentistry?

What is laser dentistry?

As you might imagine laser dentistry is the use of lasers to treat a range of dental conditions. But specifically, what is it used for?

A laser stands for “light amplifcation by stimulated emission of radiation,” and as you probably know, a laser creates a highly-concentrated beam of light, rather than a cone of light like most light sources. It is used to treat soft tissue and hard tissue, rather than using drills. Its benefits include it being more comfortable for the patient, more efficient for the practitioner, and often cheaper. The laser light can be used to form tissue and shape it with more accuracy than a drill.

It is used for treating hypersensitivity, tooth whitening, tooth decay, and gum disease.

How is laser dentistry used now?

• Detecting tooth decay for later treatment.
• Killing bacteria in tooth decay and killing bacteria to prepare a tooth for a procedure/crown/implant.
• Sealing the tubules at the base of the tooth in order to decrease tooth sensitivity.
• Lasers can clean up a post-surgical area in the mouth by removing tissue folds. They can also help make implants more comfortable by removing these folds. They are often used with dentures, sutures, and implants to remove excess tissue around the implant.
• Lasers can be used with tomography (penetrating waves) to view inside the tooth or tissue.
• Painless removal of tumors and abcesses. Lasers can be used to remove dangerous areas of the mouth in a more painless manner than traditional surgery will.
• Reshaping the flesh around important areas in the throat and mandible to reduce things like sleep apnea and swelling.
• Stimulating damaged nerves and skin to reduce scarring and restore feeling/blood vessel access.
• Lazers can reduce pain and healing time from cold sores.
• Removing erupted wisdom teeth to aid in the healing and recovery process.
• Removing overgrown and decayed gum tissue.
• Remove tissue from inside teeth.

Benefits of lasers

Lasers can treat areas in fewer sessions, resulting in lower costs for patients. They can also result in less invasive procedures that increase patient comfort and the time taken for a procedure. Lasers can also be used to cauterize wounds and prevent bleeding after a surgical procedure. A laser procedure will often result in less bleeding than using a drill and other traditional dental equipment.

Prices for laser treatment range by quite a lot, from several hundred dollars to thousands, so be aware of the cost of each treatment. Typically, treatment is priced based on the following factors:

• The difficulty of the procedure. This depends on invasiveness, amount of work to be done, and how complicated the procedure is. A short procedure to cauterize after surgery may be cheap — albeit the surgery itself might not be. While a long procedure involving anisthetic and several hours of work by one or more surgeons will certainly cost more. A tooth whitening procedure will usually be cheaper than throat surgery for tumor removal.
• More teeth, more money. The more teeth you are having treated with laser dentistry, the more you can be expected to spend.
• How many sessions will you need? More sessions will cost more in total.

What is the future of laser dentistry?

A common theme in technology today is that it becomes cheaper, more accessible, and more commonplace. For example, motion detectors were once expensive machines that only wealthy institutions can afford, now you can buy one at your local hardware store to put up over your garage door. Don’t forget that we all carry computers around in our pockets now.

So what about lasers in dentistry? Well, here are a few of our predictions based on current trends.

• Cheaper dentistry thanks to lasers. As they become more commonplace and cheaper, there will be more laser procedures. This means fewer sessions, less recovery time (and medicine/supplies needed for it), and less other equipment necessary.
• Lasers will be used in a wider range of uses. As the technology becomes cheaper and more varied, we will see it used in all kinds of things. There might come the day when the primary tool a dentist uses in a check up is a laser for cleaning and inspection.
• Less fear of the dental office for patients. The high-pitched whining of a drill is an anxiety-inducing sound for many. Lasers are silent, much more painless, and result in fewer treatement sessions and quicker recovery times.

Let technology make your life easier with us

At Josey Lane Dentistry, we are happy to keep up on the newest and best dental technology out there. It makes procedures go more smoothly for the dentist and the patient, and results in cheaper procedures. Technology serves us, and it serves you, come visit us in Carrollton Texas to see exactly how we can serve you, whether it’s a check up, surgery, or more. Send us a message with your questions to learna bout everything we can do for you.