The Wonders of Laser Dentistry

Most patients have some level of anxiety when it comes to the dentist’s chair. This fear or anxiety is even more common in patients who are to undergo some kind of dental surgery.

Thanks to great leaps in the advancement of technology, we are able to offer various types of laser dentistry to our patients. Laser dentistry is the use of highly focused beams of light, which can be used to change or remove hard and soft tissues.

Lasers can be used in a variety of treatments, such as reshaping gums, whitening teeth or removing excess gum tissue. Lasers can also be used to detect for cavities, remove benign tumors, or treat TMD/TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction). Other treatments where laser dentistry can be used include the reduction of discomfort caused by canker sores, the exposure of wisdom teeth, the treatment of infections in root canals, and the reshaping of gums and teeth in crown lengthening procedures.

There are many benefits to this state-of-the-art technology as it can render a surgery almost painless, since a laser is less invasive than other dental tools.

The benefits of laser dentistry include:

• Anesthesia may no longer be necessary in some procedures, as a laser eliminates the need to drill into tooth or bone. This makes the dentist visit a more relaxed experience for the patient.
• Patients may not need to have sutures to close up any wounds in their mouth as the laser rejuvenates damaged nerves and promotes tissue growth.
• Laser dentistry is quick and efficient, which means there is less time spent in the dentist’s chair and less recovery time is needed, since a minimal amount of damage is done to the gums.
• Patients are less likely to lose blood during surgery, as the high energy laser promotes blood clotting in any exposed blood vessels.
• The laser also minimizes on any risk of infection and eliminates bacteria in the mouth due to its sterilization properties.

Due to all these wonderful benefits, patients can expect their post-surgery experience to go smoothly, as it is less likely there will be any post-op bleeding at the site, and any soft tissue will heal faster than if the patient had undergone surgery using traditional methods. Any discomfort or pain is also brought to a minimum.

However, it is advised that the patient stick to any instructions given by our dentists with regards to how they should look after their mouths during the healing period. All instructions with regards to the dental care and cleaning of the teeth and mouth during this time is also critical and must be followed to prevent any infection.

We believe that patients who are worried about a dental procedure should speak to us about the possible use of laser dentistry in their procedure. Although lasers are a great tool in the dentist office, they may not be suitable for every procedure or individual case. We are happy to speak to you about your dental needs to ensure you receive the best care and have the best dental experience with us at Trevor Smith Dental.