Laser dentistry offers a highly effective alternative to painful and noisy drilling procedures. Lasers can now be used to perform a variety of functions, including cavity removal, tooth restoration, and periodontal surgery. Dental lasers can also remove plaque and dental decay from a cavity-affected tooth, preparing it for a filling. A laser beam can also help harden bonding material. Laser Dentistry can effectively reshape gums, remove excess or affected gum tissue in gum disease sufferers and remove bacteria from between diseased gums and teeth.
What are the Benefits of Laser Dentistry?
There are currently four areas of dental care that are enjoying the benefits of laser dentistry:
- Cavity removal can be accomplished with dental lasers. The laser has the ability to remove decay within a tooth, and prepare the surrounding enamel for bonded fillings. The need for anesthesia is greatly reduced or eliminated over the traditional methods.
- Curing, or hardening bonding materials is another area where dental lasers have become important. The laser drastically reduces the time it takes to finish a filling and create what some researchers have shown to be a stronger dental restoration.
- Whitening teeth can be accomplished with special solutions that are applied to the tooth surface in the dental office and activated by laser energy. Color changes of several shades is possible in a very short time. When combined with at-home tray based whitening systems, dramatic changes can be seen in even the most difficult cases.
- Periodontal, or gum related care is the fourth area benefitting from dental lasers. Laser dentistry is currently used for recontouring or reshaping gums, removing extra or diseased gum tissue associated with the use of certain medications or periodontal disease, and removing the bacteria in periodontal pockets to promote healing. Healing time and post operative discomfort can be significantly reduced over the traditional surgical methods.
The Waterlase® Dental Laser
Dr. Steinberg uses the Waterlase dental laser in Tucson, AZ. The Waterlase uses "Hydrokinetic" energy to cut teeth and prepare soft tissue. Water droplets absorb the laser energy and become laser-energized water particles that, when directed at the tooth, rapidly remove enamel, dentin and decay. The Waterlase dental laser replaces the drill in many instances.
» Learn more about the Waterlase Dental Laser. |
