Laser Dentistry in Panorama City

Laser dentistry is an innovative technique used in dental care to provide patients with more precise, minimally invasive, and more effective treatments for cavities, gum surgery, orthodontics, and other oral issues.

Laser dentistry has become increasingly popular because it offers many benefits for both dentists and patients. It:

  • Reduces or completely eliminates pain during the procedure
  • Eliminates the need for anesthesia so it becomes an option rather than a necessity.
  • Enhances precision when delivering treatment
  • Reduces damage to surrounding tissues
  • Promotes blood coagulation at treatment sites to eliminate or minimize the need for sutures
  • Reduced recovery time

How laser dentistry works

Laser dentistry is a safe technique that uses extremely focused beams of light to remove or alter small amounts of tissues. This mode of treatment has been used in clinical dental practice since 1989, though it started to become popular in 1994 after FDA approval.

The artificial, amplified light energy released as a laser beam can be used to separate tissue by a process known as thermal ablation. Unlike a scalpel that slices, thermal ablation is an instantaneous process of absorption, melting, and vapourization, which results in tissue decomposition. As the target cells absorb the light energy, the temperature of the tissue rises rapidly, causing those cells to instantly undergo warming, welding, coagulation, protein denaturation, drying, and vapourization through a micro-explosion referred to as spallation.

There are different types of lasers that can be used in dentistry to treat soft and hard tissues. Common treatments include:

  • Orthodontic treatment
  • To expose teeth that take too long to erupt
  • Laser gum contouring - also known as aesthetic gingival recontouring
  • For lingual and labial frenectomy
  • To remove tissue tags
  • To reduce the severity or pain of aphthous ulcers or canker sores

Final Note

Compared to the use of a scalpel or drill in traditional dentistry, lasers allow for gentle and virtually painless treatment, eliminating the anxiety associated with dental treatments.