Hard and Soft Tissue Lasers in La Jolla
What are hard and soft tissue lasers in dentistry?
Laser (Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation) dentistry is precise and an effective way to perform dental procedures. As the applications for dental lasers expand, dentists will use the latest technology to provide patients with precision treatment that may minimize pain and recovery time. Every discipline of dentistry has been positively affected using laser technology including oral medicine, oral surgery, pediatric and operative dentistry, periodontics and implantology, prosthetic dentistry. The ability of lasers to perform less invasive procedures without any discomfort to the patients had made an enormous impact on the dental care.
What are the applications of laser dentistry in hard and soft tissue dental procedures?
Some laser dental applications focus on teeth and the different dental procedures that are used to treat specific tooth-associated problems. These are referred to as hard tissue applications and includes the following procedures:
Crown lengthening : Hard tissue lasers are used to reshape bone so that the healthier tooth structure is exposed while soft tissue lasers can be used to reshape the gum tissue. This procedure is known as crown lengthening and provides our patients with a stronger foundation for further dental restorations.
Fillings and preparation: The need for local anesthesia and the use of the traditional dental drill can be eliminated with a hard tissue dental laser. The laser is highly effective for killing bacteria within the cavity thereby resulting in long-term restorations of the teeth.
Sensitive teeth treatments: Sensitivity to heat and cold results from open tubules found on the tooth’s root. Hard tissue lasers can treat this issue by sealing those tubules to decrease or eliminate those sensitivities.
On the other hand, certain applications focus on the soft tissues and include certain procedures that effectively treat the gums and other soft tissue areas including:
Cavity detection: Soft tissue dental lasers operate at a lower intensity and are used in early cavity detection. The laser provides our dentists with a “reading” of certain by-products that tooth decay typically produces.
Epulis (folding soft tissues): With the use of soft tissue lasers, the soft tissue folds resulting from improper fitting dentures can be painlessly removed without the need for sutures to complete the procedure.
Frenula (muscle attachment): When babies are unable to breastfeed, or a child appears to be “tongue-tied”, dentists perform a laser frenectomy to rectify these issues. It may also be an appropriate procedure for correcting speech impediments.
Gummy smiles: Reshaping the gum tissue can expose healthier tooth structure and improve the appearance of your smile.
Crown lengthening : Hard tissue lasers are used to reshape bone so that the healthier tooth structure is exposed while soft tissue lasers can be used to reshape the gum tissue. This procedure is known as crown lengthening and provides our patients with a stronger foundation for further dental restorations.
Fillings and preparation: The need for local anesthesia and the use of the traditional dental drill can be eliminated with a hard tissue dental laser. The laser is highly effective for killing bacteria within the cavity thereby resulting in long-term restorations of the teeth.
Sensitive teeth treatments: Sensitivity to heat and cold results from open tubules found on the tooth’s root. Hard tissue lasers can treat this issue by sealing those tubules to decrease or eliminate those sensitivities.
On the other hand, certain applications focus on the soft tissues and include certain procedures that effectively treat the gums and other soft tissue areas including:
Cavity detection: Soft tissue dental lasers operate at a lower intensity and are used in early cavity detection. The laser provides our dentists with a “reading” of certain by-products that tooth decay typically produces.
Epulis (folding soft tissues): With the use of soft tissue lasers, the soft tissue folds resulting from improper fitting dentures can be painlessly removed without the need for sutures to complete the procedure.
Frenula (muscle attachment): When babies are unable to breastfeed, or a child appears to be “tongue-tied”, dentists perform a laser frenectomy to rectify these issues. It may also be an appropriate procedure for correcting speech impediments.
Gummy smiles: Reshaping the gum tissue can expose healthier tooth structure and improve the appearance of your smile.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Lasers
Laser dentistry is an advanced dental technology that uses lasers to reduce pain, minimize the chances of bacterial infections, and ensures quick healing during hard tissue treatments. In addition, patients may experience less bleeding, no sutures, and tissues regenerate faster compared to conventional methods.
Patients also experience less anxiety during most of the hard tissue dental procedures. However, lasers have certain drawbacks such as their limited scope to reach all areas requiring dental treatments, tissue damage, and high cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is laser dentistry better?
Lasers are safe and effective for treating cavities. Laser dentistry can also be used for soft tissue treatments, such as the exposure of wisdom teeth or swollen gums from braces.
Which laser device is mostly used in the dentistry field?
Nowadays, Diode lasers are being extensively used in the field of dentistry.
What are the different types of lasers used in dentistry?
Lasers are categorized by various methods, however broadly, they are classified into lasing medium (gas or solid), tissue applicability, hard or soft tissue lasers, and range of wavelength.
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