Can Cavities Be Treated With a Laser?

Can Cavities Be Treated With a Laser?

November 8, 2022

Laser dentistry can treat cavities without your feeling any pain. Just imagine getting rid of that severe toothache and not hearing the sound of a dental drill in your sleep for weeks afterward. Besides cavities, a dental laser can treat anything, including gum disease and cancer sores. It is a great choice for children who do not want to get the numbing shot and adults with dental anxiety and who feel like crying when they see a needle.

How Does Laser Dentistry Work?

The lasers zap cavities using an invisible light beam and are very precise and conservative, thus allowing a filling to be placed on the cavity afterward. It is also the most precise way to fix a cavity since your dentist will not have to remove much of your healthy tooth as they do when using a dental drill.

Water-based laser systems such as WaterLase keep the tooth hydrated throughout the procedure, thus reducing further pain. Instead of drills and needles, laser cavity detection uses air, water, and light to treat cavities. That is why the procedure is less painful, making most patients love it so much. If your kids have an appointment on the same day at our dental office in Union, NJ, for their math test, laser treatment can prepare them to go back and ace or at least take that test.

What Can Lasers Fix?

Apart from fixing cavities, using lasers in dentistry can treat various conditions. Some of these include:

  • Cavity Fillings
  • Crown lengthening
  • Hypersensitivity
  • Tooth decay
  • Removing soft tissue folds
  • Teeth whitening
  • Gum disease
  • Nerve regeneration
  • TMJ treatment
  • Removing g benign tissues
  • Treating tongue frenulum attachment
  • Treating gummy smile
  • Obstructive sleep apnea
  • Removing cold sores

Every dentist has different conditions that they will use for lasers, which may differ from pediatric dentistry. Therefore, always discuss the treatment options with your dentist first.

The Pros and Cons of Laser Dentistry at Emerald Dental Spa

As with any dental treatment, laser dentistry has its advantages and disadvantages. However, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, but it is wise to understand and consider both. Some of the benefits of using a laser in dentistry include:

  1. It’s a minimally invasive procedure that leads to a faster healing time

Lasers offer minimally invasive procedures. Even normally invasive treatments such as gum contouring are minimally invasive when used with lasers. This thus makes it much easier to heal for a laser dental treatment. Patients that use laser heal a fraction of the time compared to the standard dental approaches.

  1. It is virtually painless

Lasers numb the area that is undergoing treatment and thus eliminates the need for anesthesia. Most patients can get treatments without anesthesia, while others require just a fraction of what is normally needed. Along with the virtually painless procedures, the healing is also more comfortable.

  1. Reduced Bleeding and Risk of Infection

Lasers cauterize and sterilize tissue, thus reducing the risk of infection and bleeding. It also eliminates the need for stitches. That is why most patients heal faster seeing a laser dentist.

  1. Lots of treatment options

Many people are unaware that lasers can detect cavities in their early stages of development. The dentist at our laser cavity Treatment Union NJ can thus fill the cavity before it creates significant damage. However, lasers also reshape tissues, prepare your teeth for fillings and treat canker sores. As a result, they can be used for more dental procedures.

  1. Easier to control

Dental drills are difficult to control. But laser gives dentists more control, so they do not disturb your healthy tissues. Thus, it allows patients to maintain their natural tooth structures when using laser treatment.

Some of the few drawbacks of laser dentistry include:

  1. They cannot fill all cavities

Lasers are only used to fill small to midsize cavities and cannot be used when your teeth have large areas of decay. They also cannot fill cavities that are in between your teeth

  1. Lasers are not an option for teeth with dental fillings

Lasers can be used in many procedures, but a laser dentist cannot use lasers on teeth that have dental fillings. The standard tools can be used instead.

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