Laser dentistry is the technique used to treat several dental conditions with the help of a laser. This technique provides a wide range of treatments for hard and soft tissue. It is used in various procedures such as teeth whitening, treating gum disease, tooth decay, and tooth sensitivity.
Laser treatment is divided into two types of procedures:
- Hard tissue procedure: This procedure involves treatment related to the teeth, which include:
- Cavity detection.
- Tooth Preparation and dental filling.
- Treating tooth sensations.
- Soft tissue procedure: This procedure involves treatment related to the gums, which include:
- Treating gummy smile
- Crown lengthening
- Treating tongue frenulum attachment
- Removing the folds of soft tissue
Ankeny cosmetic dentist will help guide you through the procedure and will also help you prepare for the procedure.
Benefits of laser dentistry:
The most common benefits of laser surgery, apart from reduced chances of infection, include:
- Less amount of pain is felt: Patients who take laser dentistry for treatment experience very little pain while performing treatment with the laser.
- Decreased loss of blood: Patients have minor bleeding from the oral cavity. There will be less chance of getting swelling than the procedures performed using dentistry tools.
- Short recovery time: Patients quickly recover from the condition after getting the treatment and return to their daily routine within a few days. Laser treatment also allows doctors to work precisely.
- No sutures: If the patient needs to go for gum surgery, there will be no need to get stitches as using a laser will burn the affected tissue, which does not require any stitches.
- Less anxiety: Patients who go for dentistry treatments feel nervous from the sound of the instruments used in the treatment. While laser treatment produces less noise than the drill, the patients feel calm and relaxed.
- Teeth whitening: People who undergo teeth whitening feel no discomfort while having the procedure, and their mind remains relaxed.
Risks:
Every procedure has some risks associated with it, and common risks associated with laser dentistry include:
- Injury to the tooth pulp: Patients who undergo hard laser surgery may sometimes get an injury in the tooth pulp. This happens if the tooth is broken and often causes pain.
- Risk of getting gum injury: While performing laser dentistry, gums can be injured by missing the targeted region.
- Injury to the tooth nerve: If the wavelength and time are increased, there will be a chance that the nerve gets damaged, as it will penetrate the tooth and easily access the nerve roots of the tooth.