Pros and Cons of Using a Laser in Dentistry

Laser technology has revolutionized various medical fields. Now this modern and innovative approach is being widely used in the dentistry. Many dentists around the world have incorporated laser techniques into their dental practices and a plethora of different procedures.

A laser is a device that emits energy in the form of amplified light. This amplified light is used to cut tissue and teeth.

In dentistry, laser technology is used to fix an array of periodontal (gum) diseases and other dental problems in a remarkable way. All dental lasers, be it hot or cold, work by delivering energy in the form of light. For different dental procedures the laser acts differently on hard or soft tissue. For example, lasers act as a precise as precise cutting instrument to cut decayed soft tissue and seal it at the same time.

Advantages
Often used in conjunction with other dental instruments, dental lasers are considered to be exceptionally safe and effective. Compared to the traditional dental drill, laser technique is considered as a more accurate and effective way to perform many dental procedures.

Laser-assisted dental work has proven to be more precise, less invasive, less intrusive and less time consuming. Surgeries and dental procedures done with lasers result in less pain and lesser bleeding and swelling during soft tissue treatments because the high-energy light beam promotes coagulation (clotting) of exposed blood vessels. Lasers help dentists preserve most of healthy tooth during cavity removal.

Laser use eliminates the need of painful stitches and drilling, which means the patient experiences no discomfort and recovers faster.

Some of the major benefits associated with laser use in dentistry are:

• The US FDA has approved several types of lasers for use in dentistry
• It is a less invasive treatment than traditional methods
• Laser dentistry is performed with no noise and very little pain
• It reduces anxiety and nervousness in patients who avoid going to the dentist due to fear of drilling
• Laser-assisted soft tissue procedures may not require stitches
• It reduces the need of traditional anesthesia in certain dentistry procedures
• Fewer bacterial infections may occur due to the high-energy beam that sterilizes the area being treated
• Cold sores heal quickly and painlessly
• Less post-surgery pain and swelling
• Lasers can remove caries carefully and tooth preparation
• Dental lasers can remove any benign tumors located in the interior of a patient’s mouth
• Risk of damage to surrounding tissue is very less
• Minimize side effects eliminate the discomfort of aphthous ulcers
• Because dental lasers require no incisions or stitches, patients recover faster
• Certain dental procedures can be completed in a single appointment, so you don’t have to make multiple visits to your dentist

Disadvantages

• One of the biggest disadvantages of lasers is that the American Dental Association (ADA) has not endorsed the use of lasers in dentistry
• A dental lasers is unable to remove gold and vitreous porcelain
• Lasers cannot be used on teeth with silver fillings
• They cannot be utilized to work on cavities between teeth and your dentist will have to use a drill during the filling process
• Lasers cannot be as much effective in preparing a tooth for a crown or prepping the teeth for a bridge as traditional drills
• Many laser-assisted dental procedures still need a dental drill
• Lasers cannot help dentist in shaping a filling, adjusting the bite, or polishing a filling.
• Lasers minimize but do not eliminate the need for anesthesia
• Since the equipment to perform laser procedures is much more expensive than traditional dental drills, treatments performed using lasers tend to be costly
• Both the dentist and patients can injure their eyes from the light of the laser