The Many Benefits of Laser Dentistry

Lasers have been used commercially in clinical dentistry since 1989, and they’re currently FDA-approved for many different dental procedures. Lasers focus light energy into a narrow, cohesive beam. When that beam hits a tooth or gum tissue, it’s able to remove or reshape that tissue.

When compared with standard dental equipment such as drills, scalpels, and probes, laser dentistry has the potential to provide a more precise, comfortable, and efficient option for treatment of both the hard and soft tissues of the mouth.

At KIRAN RAPAL DDS, Inc. in Saratoga, California, Dr. Kiran Rapal is highly skilled in using advanced, in-office laser technologies to provide a less anxiety-producing experience that also reduces your risk of infection and speeds your healing process. Here’s what she wants you to know about the many benefits of laser dentistry.

The different types of dental lasers

Dental lasers come in two different types:

1. Hard tissue lasers

These lasers use wavelengths of light that are absorbed by the combination of water and hydroxyapatite, a hard mineral found in teeth, and they’re strong enough to cut through the hard tooth structure. Dentists use hard tissue lasers to remove parts of the tooth structure and shape teeth for composite bonding. They can also help with teeth whitening, speeding up activation of the whitening gel and decreasing the time the gel needs to be in contact with your teeth and gums.

2. Soft tissue lasers

These lasers use wavelengths of light absorbed by water and hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells. Since they seal nerve endings and blood vessels as they cut through the tissue, they stop the bleeding. As a result, they’re effective at treating periodontitis, eradicating the bacterial infection and activating tissue regrowth at the same time. They’re also good at removing soft tissue folds without pain or sutures, and they allow for faster healing than conventional methods.

The many benefits of laser dentistry

We’ve briefly touched on some of the benefits laser dentistry can provide, but let’s take a more comprehensive look.

Lasers produce less pain

Lasers are less painful than many traditional dental treatments — you might not even need anesthesia for filling cavities or while having gum work done. Dr. Rapal can also more accurately target the treatment area, so less of your mouth experiences discomfort.

Lasers cause less bleeding, swelling, and infection

Since lasers target the treatment area more accurately than drills and scalpels, and because they cauterize soft tissue as they go, you experience less bleeding and swelling. They also reduce your risk of developing an infection at the treatment site, which, in turn, helps reduce your recovery time.

Laser procedures require no sutures

Gum surgery typically involves scalpels, stitches, and associated pain. Lasers, though, cauterize the tissues as they go, so there’s no incision that needs to be closed. A lack of sutures reduces your risk of complications, including swelling and infection at the treatment site.

If you’re interested in finding out more about laser dentistry and how it can benefit you, give us a call at 408-864-7010 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Rapal, or book online with us today.