Using beams of light called lasers to perform dental procedures makes up the field of laser dentistry. There are many procedures that dentists can perform using lasers, and they have proven to be beneficial in both lowering patient risks and reducing recovery time. The two most common areas of dental work that benefit from the use of lasers are the hard tissues and the soft tissues of the mouth.
Hard tissues
Teeth are considered the hard tissues inside your mouth. The most common laser dentistry techniques for your teeth involve helping with:
• Tooth sensitivity – lasers are used to seal tubules to decrease sensitivity to hot and cold items.
• Composite fillings – lasers are used to prepare for composite fillings by cleaning the cavity and killing bacteria.
• Cavity identification – lasers detect decay by locating bacteria on the teeth.
Soft tissues
Your gums are the soft tissues in your mouth. Some of the laser dentistry procedures for your gums include:
• Removal of excess gums – lasers are better than surgery in removing excess gums because of the clean cuts that lasers make.
• Smile improvement – if your gums show too much when you smile, lasers can be used to expose the tooth so that the gums around it can be reduced.
• Gum reshaping – lasers are used to reshape the gums and to lengthen tooth crowns if needed.
Additional procedures
Laser dentistry can also be helpful in removing oral tumors, helping heal cold sores, whitening teeth, helping with sleep apnea, and other procedures.
