Currently lasers are being used mostly for some types of gum surgery and to cure white composite bonded fillings. Lasers are also being used to detect small cavities and to harden the enamel. Exposing a tooth to certain types of lasers will show areas of decay as dark spots. Any area of the tooth exposed will be altered, hardened and become more resistant to decay. Also bleaching teeth can be accelerated using stronger bleaching solutions that are activated with light or lasers.
Potential uses in the future of lasers include anesthesia, the replacement of the drill and in cleanings. Some researchers and pioneering Dentist are using lasers for these procedures today. The heat generated by the lasers presents a problem because the nerve in the tooth can be damaged due to much heat. When used for cleanings, lasers tends to burn and put deep grooves on the roots of teeth. Special precautions must be taken when using lasers. Everyone in the enclosed room including the patient must wear the special glasses to protect the retinas of their eye. Each laser system has a different kind of eye wear. The reason for the glasses and closed room is to block any stray beams of the laser from putting a hole in the retina of the eye. So the moral of the story is lasers are nice toys to have but are very expensive and not very practical at this point in time. Most of the research and literature has been done by mostly the companies that manufacture the lasers.
Home| Bleaching| Anesthesia| White Fillings| Implants| Intraoral Camera| Veneers|
My Office|
Sign Guestbook
View Guestbook
|
View Old Guestbook|