Laser Dentistry
Laser Dentistry in Manhattan
Lasers provide a less invasive and more comfortable treatment option for many dental procedures. Lasers are a narrow, focused beam of light energy used to remove tissue, that can be used in place of or alongside traditional dental tools. They offer an innovative, cost-effective and efficient way for dentists to treat their patients, often improving outcomes and helping save teeth at risk of loss. Considered a minimally invasive treatment, dentists have used lasers since 1989.
Compared to non-laser drills and tools, lasers are often the preferred method for many procedures, used in an ever-increasing variety of medical and dental treatments for adults and children. Laser dentistry has some astonishing benefits, such as more rapid healing, the ability to remove bacteria and diseased tissue while leaving healthy tissue intact and reducing or eliminating the need for painful incisions and sutures. Divided into soft tissue (gums, skin, tongue, palate) and hard tissue (teeth, bone) procedures, here are some of the typical uses for lasers in our practice:
Soft Tissue Uses for Dental Lasers:
- Treat gum disease
- Wound and lesion healing
- Uncover impacted teeth and partially erupted teeth
- Removal of excess tissue folds or inflamed tissue
- Removal of benign mouth tumors
- Phototherapy
- Significantly improved gum tissue reattachment
- Deep tissue healing
- Reshape and re-contour gums cosmetically
- Tissue biopsy
- Relieve canker sore pain
- Biostimulation
- Treating obstructive sleep apnea tissue overgrowth
- Helping to regenerate scar tissue, nerves and blood vessels
- Treat pediatric speech and feeding issues
- Improve optical viewing inside dental tissue and surfaces
Hard Tissue Uses for Dental Lasers:
- Rapid teeth bleaching and whitening
- Curing light-cured dental restorations
- Correcting white spots on teeth
- Cavity detection
- Treating tooth decay and preparing teeth for fillings
- Treating hot and cold tooth hypersensitivity
- Improved, more thorough tartar removal, especially below the gum line
- Improved bone regeneration
- Treating failing implants
- Treating post-surgical pain following root canal
- Removing bacteria during laser root canal
- Laser crown lengthening
- TMJ treatment to reduce joint pain and inflammation
Laser Dental Treatment: Benefits, Pro and Cons
Laser gum surgery, laser root canal or other laser dental treatments may not be the right choice for every patient in every situation. Sometimes, an alternative treatment option makes more sense. Risks and benefits are carefully considered, along with the patient’s medical and dental history, including any underlying conditions. There are many benefits to laser dentistry and relatively few inherent risks. Our practice has been using laser dentistry in Manhattan successfully for many years. We want our patients to make informed treatment decisions, and will share some of the pros and cons of laser dental treatment with you here:
Benefits of Laser Dentistry:
- Minimized bleeding, swelling and pain
- Less pain means less anesthesia is required
- Less pain means less medication is required
- Decreased anxiety in patients that dislike dental drill sensations
- More healthy tissue is preserved than with scalpel use
- Laser precision frequently eliminates the need for incisions and sutures
- The only gum and bone regenerative therapy achieving true reattachment of soft tissue and bone regeneration with stem-cell therapy
- Reduces the likelihood of needing additional invasive surgery
- Return to regular activity more quickly
- Targets diseased tissue and bacteria, preserving healthy tissue
- Sterilizes and disinfects site, reducing infection risk
Disadvantages of Laser Dentistry:
- Drills and other standard dental instruments may still be needed during some parts of the procedure, such as polishing and smoothing
- Anesthesia may still be required in some cases
- The upfront cost of laser treatment may be slightly higher but may reduce the need for additional procedures in the long term
Expectations During Laser Dental Treatment and Post-Treatment
During treatment, special glasses are provided and worn by patients and clinicians to protect the eyes. You can expect less pain, swelling and bleeding, and shorter recovery time with laser dental procedures compared to traditional dental procedures. Of course, any necessary pain medication needed during the procedure will be provided. During recovery, over-the-counter pain medication may be all that is required to manage any mild discomfort. You may need to adjust your diet to include soft foods for a few days. We will give you detailed instructions to follow at home, and we are available by phone to answer any questions or address any concerns you may have before or after treatment.
Preventative and Cosmetic Dentistry in Manhattan
We are pleased to offer laser dental treatment, laser root canals and laser gum surgery to our patients. This innovative and effective approach has improved dental care in many ways, and provides a wonderful solution to many common dental problems. Give us a call to find out more information, or ask us about laser dental treatments the next time you visit. We can help you know if this approach is right for you and if you are a candidate for laser dental treatment.
