All About Laser Dentistry

Decades ago, your fears about going to the dentist may have had a basis in reality. Just thinking about someone drilling a hole in your tooth to remove a cavity sounds painful. Modern dentistry is a far cry from what occurred in the past. Lasers now perform tasks that drills used to do, often wholly eliminating pain from procedures. 

Our group of four dentists, including an implant specialist, an endodontist, and an orthodontist at K Street Dental & Orthodontic Group, provides exceptional expertise using the most advanced dental technology available today. Our extensive experience using lasers for various dental procedures ensures you’ll have a smooth experience that produces the best dental results. The following are critical reasons why we use laser dentistry in our practice. 

Laser dentistry helps eliminate dental anxiety 

About one in five patients suffer anxiety before dental appointments. Some patients admit they’ve skipped dental appointments due to their anxiety. 

Not surprisingly, fear of pain is a significant reason for feeling anxious before your dental appointment. Perhaps you remember the needle going into your gum to numb it, or you heard about a bad experience from a root canal. It’s time to learn about laser dentistry to calm your fears. 

Laser dentistry ushered in a new day in dentistry. Lasers can significantly reduce or eliminate your pain. This technology is real — not a fantasy. You can rest assured that at K Street Dental, your pain will be minimal. 

The day of the dental drill is over 

Fear of the drill is one reason that patients feel anxious before dental appointments. You know how fast drills can go through a wall; what about your tooth? That thought can bring chills. 

Then there’s also the drill’s whining sound and the smell of something burning  — is that your tooth — during the drilling. You may be more sensitive to sensory stimulation or find that the sounds and feelings trigger your anxiety. With laser dentistry, all of those sensations you may have felt years ago are now eliminated. 

Lasers improve gum treatment 

Almost half of all people over 30 have some form of gum disease. Left untreated, it progresses to the point that teeth and bone are lost. Dentists now use lasers to treat gum disease. The laser’s energy cauterizes blood vessels while we perform soft-tissue procedures. As a result, you have significantly less bleeding.

Your risk of infection is minimized as the laser’s energy sterilizes the area being treated. The laser’s precision reduces the risk of damage to surrounding tissues. The laser energy also seals nerve endings. You’ll feel little to no postoperative pain. These factors all work together to promote faster healing.

Lasers can make your teeth more resistant to decay  

Lasers now help remove decay before your dentist inserts the filling. After the filling is in place, we also use lasers to harden the filling. Lasers do the job more quickly and soundlessly than the drill. Plus, they’re more precise, and they kill bacteria. But the advantages don’t stop there.

A short-pulsed carbon dioxide laser can change the composition of your tooth enamel. This change makes your tooth stronger and more resistant to the acids that cause decay.

Lasers reduce the time spent at a teeth whitening appointment 

The laser’s energy activates the bleaching solution used for teeth whitening. The heat from the laser improves the effectiveness of the bleach and speeds up the whitening process. As a result, you’re in and out of the office much more quickly for your teeth whitening appointment than you would be without the use of a laser. 

For your next dental appointment, call or book online with K Street Dental and Orthodontic Group.