Proper dental care is essential in maintaining good oral health. It is about the only way to limit the development of all types of oral health problems such as dry mouth, cold sores, tooth decay, and cavities.
Occasional visits to the dentist’s is one major dental care habit people are advised to adhere to, but many refrain from doing so due to several intensive dental procedures they are often made to undergo. In the past, dentists typically had to poke and prod at people’s teeth and gums with the aid uncomfortable metal tools in order to take care of a patient’s tooth. This created a myriad of misconceptions that still make some avoid a visit to the dentist’s, much to their detriment.
The advent of laser dentistry ushered in a new dawn in the field of dentistry. It is an innovative method of dental care with a less invasive way of treating oral problems, which utilises light rays for treatment. Laser here stands for “light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation.”
Laser dentistry uses light energy in a very narrow and focused beam to provide a precise and effective way to treat dental problems. It is an approved treatment option for several dental conditions by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Some of the benefits of using laser dentistry when treating dental problems are discussed below.
1. Painless Dental Procedures and Reduced Dental Anxiety
Conventional tools like tooth drills work solely on the principle of friction between the tooth and drill. The heat and friction generated during these treatment procedures causes many patients a great deal of pain. However, this feeling of pain is not exactly pain, but a response to stimuli sent by the nerves to the brain caused by the actions around the source of pain. It is only by temporarily numbing the nerves around the area to be treated that conventional methods of treatment can be used.
Laser dentistry on the other hand makes use of light and water, which greatly eliminates the painful discomfort associated with many dental procedures. It achieves an almost painless procedure because it doesn’t require friction to become effective.
Apart from avoiding a visit to the dentist due to the pain they experience during treatments, some patients do so because of what is called “dental anxiety.” This refers to a feeling of fear, stress or anxiety in a dental environment. It can be triggered by almost anything, from needles to obnoxious dental drills. Laser dentistry is gradually replacing the large and rather noisy dental drill with a smaller and quieter alternative. This will ultimately encourage more patients to visit the dentist’s when they should, thereby improving their oral health.
2. Little to No Use of Anaesthetics
Earlier, it was mentioned that traditional dental procedures can only work when the nerves around a particular area to be treated are numbed. Numbing is achieved by the use of anaesthetics, which have a wide medical application. However, anaesthetics are not often favored by patients due to complications associated with their use.
But with laser treatment procedures, there is little to no need for anaesthetics, which has sparked a high level of interest among patients. This way, risks are minimized, which can range from simple reactions such as hypersensitivity or allergies, to more dangerous complications such as overdosage, toxicity, and neuralgia.
3. Early Cavity Detection
Tooth decay is caused by the reaction between the acid formed by bacteria containing plaque and the tooth’s enamel. Plaque, with its sticky nature, ensures the continued presence of acids on the tooth’s surface, and this eventually causes the formation of cavities. Cavities are the holes that are left in the tooth structure after a protracted period of decay. They can be very painful and harmful to your oral health.
The early detection of cavity formation can prove to save an otherwise doomed tooth. Low-intensity dental lasers can be used to detect cavities early, and are faster than X-rays, by using the evidence from caries or decay. Laser dentistry then guides dentists in combating a good number of preventable cavities, thereby encouraging more people to have good oral health.
4. It is an All-in-One Fix for Many Dental Problems
Laser dentistry can be used in the treatment of many dental problems, some of which include: teeth whitening, the correction of gummy smiles, crown lengthening, and the treatment of cold sores, among many others.
As a fix to many dental problems, laser dentistry improves your oral health seamlessly. This means you can resolve a good number of dental problems upon diagnosis within a shorter period of time.
5. Reduced Risk of Bacterial Infections and Faster Healing Time
The major source of many dental health problems is an unhealthy amount of bacteria in the mouth. Some researches are in the process of proving that lasers attack oral bacterial colonies when used for dental treatment. This means lasers will greatly promote better oral health for you.
Laser dentistry is thus an effective procedure in combating advanced stages of bacterial attacks. In cases of periodontal diseases and gingivitis, laser treatment procedures include scaling and root planing to remove plaque. This prevents the progression of bacteria on the affected parts.
Also, the recovery time after a dental procedure used to take a long while due to bleeding and the resulting sutures caused by traditional procedures. Fortunately, using lasers in dental surgery drastically cuts recovery time because they cause less swelling, bleeding, and typically require no sutures. Lasers facilitate blood clotting as it cuts through and coagulates the area of treatment instantaneously. This makes surgery wounds heal and affected tissues regenerate faster.
Conclusion
Laser dentistry is a developing field of dental care. It is the most preferred for anyone who wants to undergo painless dental procedures. The safety and comfort of its processes make it a prime replacement for traditional dental procedures. Make it a point to schedule a consultation with your dentist to find out which laser treatments would suit your dental needs. Unless otherwise stated by your doctor, laser dentistry is worth a try.