Lasers in Dentistry

Lasers have been used in dental offices for over thirty years. What can they do? Lasers are used to reshape tooth, bone, and gum tissue, treat infection and relieve pain. A laser is an instrument that converts electrical energy to an intense beam of light of a specific wavelength. Our body’s tissues and dental materials attract different wavelengths of light. Because of this, several types of lasers are available, and they have different uses. They are a safe and effective adjunct for many different dental procedures.

Dental lasers can be used to:
• Reduce the pain and speed the healing of canker sores and cold sores 
• Relieve jaw joint and muscle pain
• Reshape gum tissue for cosmetic reasons
• Remove overgrown gum tissue to promote better hygiene or assist in dental filling and crown procedures
• Perform biopsies of soft tissues
• Treat infections in gum disease
• Treat infections in root canal procedures
• Remove excess gum tissue and muscle attachments in conjunction with orthodontic treatment
• Remove diseased tooth or bone

Dentists can use lasers to reduce bleeding and speed healing time in surgical procedures. While lasers aren’t useful or appropriate for every dental procedure, your dentist may recommend using one where it will be beneficial.