What Is Laser Periodontics?

Laser dentistry is fast becoming more common and it could be that your local dentist has invested in this newer technology. One particular application for laser dentistry is in periodontics, where it is used to treat the gum tissues. Periodontal Dentistry is a dental specialty that specifically concentrates on treating the gums and the other tissues surrounding your teeth.

You may benefit from periodontal treatment if you have any form of gum disease or if you need any type of treatment affecting your gums. This might be the case if you require gum tissue removed or to be grafted in place. This can also be the case if you need a treatment to help cosmetically improve the appearance of your gums.

Why Use Laser Dentistry?

Lots of people are scared of seeing the dentist and one of the things that can provoke these fears and phobias is the sound of the dental drill. With laser dentistry, there is no sound and the laser doesn’t produce any of the vibration associated with an ordinary dental drill. It’s also a much kinder and far more accurate way to treat your gums. There are lots of advantages in using this kind of treatment compared with conventional treatment.

What Are the Advantages of Laser Dentistry?

When your dentist uses a laser then treatment is likely to be extremely accurate. This is particularly important when tissue is being removed. Your dentist must ensure that only damaged tissues or tissues that are excess to requirements are taken away. With a dental laser, all healthy tissue should remain fully intact.

Another advantage is the way the tissue is removed. With a traditional scalpel, it’s a common for small blood vessels to be cut and it tends to take quite a while for the gums to fully heal. This healing process is often accompanied by side-effects. Like swelling and discomfort and when tissues are cut there’s always the possibility of infection.

In comparison, removing tissues with a dental laser automatically cauterizes any small blood vessels that may be cut. This is because the energy of the laser produces what’s called thermal coagulation. This automatically seals these blood vessels so healing is smoother and more comfortable. There is also less chance of other side effects such as discomfort and swelling.

With laser dentistry, it’s less likely that you will require pain medication after treatment. There is another great thing about using a dental laser for this kind of treatment. It helps to sterilize the areas being treated so the risk of infection is minimized. It’s particularly advantageous when laser dentistry is used to treat periodontal disease or advanced gum disease.

Using a dental laser will help remove more of the bacteria causing the infection. This allows the remaining healthy gum tissues to heal and repair themselves more easily.

When Would I Need Laser Dentistry?

Laser dentistry is often used to treat periodontal disease. This is a bacterial infection that gradually destroys the gums and other tissues surrounding your teeth. This also includes the bone and ligaments. A dental laser can be used to clean and sterilize infected areas while removing tissues that are badly damaged and which cannot heal.

This type of treatment may be used as a stand-alone procedure or in conjunction with other standard treatments for periodontal disease. It’s quite likely your periodontist may recommend laser dentistry when deep cleaning your gums during a process called scaling and root planing. This is used to treat the deep periodontal pockets that can develop in advanced periodontal disease and which can harbor bacteria.

Generally, ultrasonic tools can be used to clean tartar from tooth roots that have been exposed by receding gums. However, removing bacteria from particularly deep periodontal pockets is often quite tricky. This is where laser dentistry can be particularly useful. Using laser dentistry helps to clean out these periodontal pockets so the gums can heal more easily.

This has the effect of helping to shrink the periodontal pockets. This is so that the gums fit more tightly around the teeth and are less able to harbor infection causing bacteria. Often this kind of laser dentistry will be ongoing, especially where periodontal disease has become chronic. When this is the case your periodontist will give you a treatment plan showing how frequently you will need laser periodontics.

The nice thing about this kind of treatment is that laser therapy is faster so treatment will be easier to fit in with everyday life. Afterward, you should be absolutely fine to return to work the very next day. Another application for laser dentistry is to treat a gummy smile. A gummy smile is exactly what it sounds like.

It is where too much gum tissue is shown when you smile or talk and your upper teeth may look too short and out of proportion with your gums. Often, the teeth are exactly the right shape but are just covered up with too much gum tissue. Correcting this problem is best done with a dental laser because of the high degree of accuracy that can be achieved.

It’s incredibly important not to remove too much gum tissue to achieve the very best cosmetic results. Your periodontist can use this treatment to remove excess gum tissue from one or more of your teeth. Afterward, your gums should heal more quickly and more comfortably than if a scalpel had been used to reshape these tissues.

Is Laser Dentistry Safe?

Laser dentistry should be perfectly safe provided your chosen dentist has received the proper training in using a dental laser. He should also have properly maintained equipment. It is important to make sure they have received some training. This is because the correct wavelength must be chosen to ensure treatment is both safe and effective.

Laser dentistry has been widely used for quite a few years now so there is no need to worry that this treatment will be at all harmful. Some dentists have lasers that combine laser energy with a soft spray of water, ensuring treatment is even more comfortable to receive. If your dentist or periodontist offers you laser dentistry, then you should be pleased.

This is because you will receive the most up-to-date, comfortable and advanced treatment available today.