Doctors use lasers for removing skin lesions or for improving the look of skin. Those are a few ways lasers are used in medicine, though were you aware that lasers can be effective in dentistry as well? Not every dentist offers it, but you do have at least one option for laser dentistry in New York.
In the most basic sense, a laser is an intense beam of light that generates intense heat in a small area. By pointing that beam toward skin, gums or teeth, the laser can remove, repair or “cure” tissue in a manner that can be less invasive than the more traditional methods.
Here are a few ways laser dentistry can help dental patients:
Teeth Whitening
Because a laser produces heat, it can be used to enhance the tooth whitening process. By pointing the laser at the teeth that are undergoing a whitening procedure, it can make the whitening process go faster, meaning you’ll spend less time in the chair.
Removing Unwanted Tissue
Whether you have too much gum tissue or you have parts of your jaw that need to be restructured, lasers can do the job faster, safer and more effectively than other methods that require cutting into tissues. Lasers can also be used to remove potentially cancerous tissue.
Finding Cavities
With their intense beams of light, lasers can also be used to detect cavities in the mouth. Some lasers are even capable of revealing the insides of tooth and gum tissue, helping dentists get a better reading of what’s happening inside the mouth.
Benefits of Laser Dentistry
When patients undergo laser treatment, they’ll generally spend far less time in the dentist’s office and less time recovering. Lasers are less invasive than surgical interventions, so you generally don’t have to “go under” or use anesthesia during a laser procedure.
What’s more, the laser itself helps to sterilize the area being worked on as well as helping to make blood clot faster, so there tend to be fewer risks of infection than more traditional surgical methods. When used on gums or other soft tissues, laser treatment doesn’t typically require painful stitches. In general, the exposed areas will heal faster.
While laser dentistry is not the solution for every type of dental problem, it can be a viable solution for many New York cosmetic dentistry patients.
Dr. Shahram Shekib’s New York and Brooklyn dentistry clinics offer laser dentistry as well as a host of cosmetic solutions for a beautiful smile.
