Is Laser Therapy More Effective Than Traditional Dental Treatments?

Picture a device that can alleviate pain, regenerate nerves, relieve muscle tension, and improve wound healing without using drugs, and it doesn’t come with the side effects associated with pharmaceuticals. It may sound too futuristic, but it is not.

Since the onset of the 20th century, laser technology has been with us and has revolutionized multiple sectors, including dentistry. Although laser therapy in El Paso, TX, has been used over three decades in dentistry, it has made significant leaps and has helped countless patients throughout the years.

Are you wondering what laser therapy in El Paso really means and how it works at this juncture? Let’s go deeper.

Understanding Laser Therapy

Laser therapy is much older than some of the current dental treatments like Invisalign. It was first commercially used in dentistry back in 1989. It has been slowly making its way into many dental practices across America.

LASER is an acronym that means “light amplification by the stimulated emission radiation.” The device typically emits light energy that is focused and very narrow that when the light hits a tissue, it produces a reaction that can alter the nature of the tissue.

Laser therapy is a more comfortable treatment choice as compared to a variety of dental procedures that involve non-laser tools like drills.

How Does Laser Therapy Work?

Laser therapy has different effects on different cells. This is why it can be used in multiple procedures. The laser will deliver a focused beam of light on the area that is supposed to treat. After the light is absorbed by the cells, a chain of reactions start.
In a nutshell, the chain of reactions will involve gene transcription and cellular signaling. In layman’s terms, it will alter the nature of the cell. The reason as to why laser therapy is effective is because it balances laser physics and cell biology.

For example, if used in surgery, it acts as a cutting instrument because it will vaporize whatever tissue it comes into contact with. When it used in teeth-whitening, the laser emits heat, which improves the effect of the bleaching agents.

What Does Laser Therapy Treat?

The applications of laser therapy are expanding each day, but as at now, here are some of its uses:

• Lasers are used in treating gum disease by reshaping the gums and eliminating bacteria in root canal procedures.
• Lasers can be used in a biopsy where a small piece of tissue can be removed for cancer screening.
• It can be used to remove lesions in the mouth and alleviate the pain caused by sores.
• They are also effective in removing decay in a tooth and aids in preparing the enamel for the filling.
• They can also speed up the process of teeth-whitening
• Lasers can also treat hypersensitivity.

Types of Dental Lasers

There are a variety of soft and hard tissue lasers available for treating different diseases in children and adults. The types of lasers are as follows:

• Hard Tissue Lasers

These lasers have a wavelength that is highly absorbed by water and a calcium phosphate salt available in teeth and bone known as hydroxyapatite, making it effective in cutting through the tooth structure.

Their main use is to cut through bone and teeth with utmost precision, as compared to drills. They are appropriate for prepping your teeth for composite bonding, repairing worn-down fillings, and removing small portions of your tooth structure.

• Soft Tissue Lasers

On the other hand, soft tissue lasers emit a wavelength that is highly absorbable by hemoglobin (protein in red blood cells) and water. For this reason, it is more effective in the management of soft tissue.

It is highly effective in the treatment of periodontal issues where it kills the bacteria and re-activates the growth of your tissues. The beam released is so focused that it minimizes the damage to the surrounding tissue and is much faster in removing tissue than the fiber optic method.

The soft laser beam could penetrate soft tissues and seal blood vessels and nerve endings, which explains why many patients do not complain of postoperative pain if the laser was used.

Also, this is why more people are opting for soft tissue laser therapy in gingival sculpting procedures.
Benefits

• Some procedures do not need anesthesia
• Processes using soft tissue lasers may not need stitches
• There is reduced bacterial infections because of the high-energy beam released by the lasers
• Faster tissue regeneration and wound healing
• Minimal damage to surrounding tissue
• Minimal blood loss because of the high energy light beam that helps with coagulation

Laser therapy has made complicated and painful procedures, much comfortable, and effective. If you need laser therapy near you, contact us at El Paso Periodontics & Implant Specialists to book an appointment.