Laser Dentistry
Laser Dentistry or the therapeutic use of lasers in treating oral diseases is increasing in both public popularity and clinical use over the last several decades and has increased exponentially over the last four or five years. To understand the widespread use and acceptance of laser dentistry it is important to understand its underlying science, which gives rise to its unique clinical applications and clinical results. The word LASER in laser dentistry is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. This is true of all lasers no matter what the stimulated medium is or what wavelength of radiation the laser emits. What’s important to know is that in laser dentistry the wavelengths of radiation being employed are in the visible or infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum, therefore there is no danger in being exposed to ionizing radiation that occurs form gamma-rays, x-rays, or ultraviolet rays and that disrupts and damages DNA that leads to mutations.
The lasers employed in laser dentistry are most commonly diode lasers that generate a laser beam in the infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum, typically between 810nm and 980nm. These wavelengths allow specific targeting of affected soft tissue while passing harmlessly through unaffected untargeted tissue. This means that treatment by laser dentistry is very specific in the tissues it targets which means less tissue damage, quicker healing times, less post treatment discomfort, less bleeding and sterilization of the surgical treatment site. Laser dentistry allows for the cleanest finest cut, promotes coagulation, kills both bacteria and viruses to achieve sterilization of the surgical site, cauterizes nerve ending to reduce post treatment discomfort, and promotes biostimulation to decrease healing time. Biostimulation consists of increase circulation to the treated area, increase in collagen or soft tissue formation from the increase in fibroblasts and the increase in ostioblasts the cells that form new bone.
Laser dentistry can use either light energy or thermal energy to affect a therapeutic result. Light energy can be used to enhance tooth-whitening procedures by acting as a catalyst to promote the peroxide formation in the bleaching gel being used (lasers do not actually whiten teeth themselves), to desensitize teeth, to treat herpetic ulcers, to treat aphthous ulcers, these lessions are typically refered to as cold sores or fever blisters, and for Laser Bacterial Reduction. When laser dentistry is used to treat herpetic ulcers in the prodromal stage when the patient is experiencing tingling, itching and discomfort prior to the ulceration of the gingiva (gum) treatment will prevent the ulcer from forming and after the ulceration is present laser dentistry will reduce the healing time and discomfort by killing the virus particles and cauterizing the nerve ending. Laser dentistry will also reduce healing time and discomfort for aphthous ulcers by cauterizing nerve endings usually giving almost instant relief for the patient. In Laser Bacterial Reduction laser dentistry is used in the patient’s periodontal pockets to kill the bacteria that are present. Studies have shown that the average number of colony forming bacteria present in untreated pockets is ten to the ninth power or billions while once pockets are treated by laser dentistry that average number of colony forming bacteria is reduced to ten to the second power or hundreds. That is a reduction of 10 to the seventh power or ten million times less. It takes four to six weeks for the bacteria to repopulate back to billions during which time the patient can heal and get pocket reduction through reattachment form the bottom up and decrease in inflammation from the top down.
The treatment applications for laser dentistry from thermal energy are homeostasis, gingival retraction during crown preparation and impression, sulcular debridement, gingivectomy, gingivoplasty, frenectomy, and excisional biopsies. In all of these treatment applications for laser dentistry the light energy generated by the laser is converted into thermal energy at the tip of the cannula allowing for the soft tissue to be simultaneously cut, cauterized, coagulated and for the sterilization of the surgical site. With laser dentistry these treatment applications can be performed with less anesthesia, less post treatment swelling, less post treatment discomfort, and shorting healing times. Because of the specificity of laser dentistry sulcular debridement or soft tissue curettage can selectively remove inflamed and infected tissue while leaving healthy tissue intact. This in conjunction with Laser Bacterial Reduction and Soft Tissue Management (including scaling and root planing) are the components of Laser Assisted Periodontal Therapy (LAPT). LAPT allows for the most significant and effective treatment for periodontal disease and affords the patient the best possibility of avoiding periodontal surgery while allowing for the maximum reduction of pocketing from reduced inflammation and reattachment. Laser dentistry is here to stay and will only become more prevalent and have more diverse treatment applications in the future, so don't wait call today to become part of the most progressive dental experience you can find anywhere.
