Benefits of Laser Dentistry

Your teeth are an essential part of your appearance — so when they aren’t perfect, it can lead to confidence issues and anxiety. While cosmetic issues are one thing, periodontal disease is another problem. The good news is, laser dentistry can help.

Lancaster Dental Care Associates specializes in laser dentistry for periodontal disease. Our skilled team of dentists helps you achieve a healthy smile with a variety of treatments. Laser dentistry is just one way to give you the beautiful pearly whites you’ve always wanted. 

What is periodontal disease?

Although you probably brush your teeth at least twice a day, there’s still a lot of bacteria that accumulate in your mouth. When bacteria lead to an abundance of plaque, it causes a condition called periodontal disease.

Periodontal disease is an infection that affects your gums in your mouth. Because your gums help not only protect the roots of your teeth but also hold them in place, periodontal disease may lead to tooth loss.

Brushing and flossing help to control plaque, but they can’t get rid of all of it. When plaque is left on your teeth, it causes hard tartar to form. That can only be removed in our office with special cleaning tools.

So how do you know if periodontal disease is impacting you? The signs usually involve your gums and may include:

• Bad breath
• Swollen gums
• Sensitive teeth
• Bleeding gums
• Pain when chewing

You may also notice that your teeth are loose or may even seem to be longer. That is due to receding gums, which is common with periodontal disease.

The facts about laser dentistry

Lasers have been used in dentist offices since the early 1990s to treat a variety of dental conditions and issues. The laser is a powerful and concentrated beam of light. It treats a variety of dental conditions, including:

• Cavity detection
• Teeth whitening
• Sensitivity
• Treating tooth decay
• Gum problems

Laser dentistry also helps other conditions related to your mouth, including obstructive sleep apnea and temporomandibular joint disorders. The treatments are split into either hard tissue or soft tissue procedures. 

Hard tissue lasers deal with your teeth and other hard structures, while soft tissue lasers are made to work on your gums. 

The laser works as the cutting tool for reshaping your gums. It also may be used as a source of heat when our team is using the laser for cosmetic procedures like teeth whitening.

How it can benefit you

Laser dentistry boasts several benefits, including less pain and discomfort for you during the procedure. Traditional instruments like drills are not only noisy but can also be abrasive and painful afterward. Lasers, on the other hand, do most of the things a drill can do, with only a fraction of the negative aspects.

If you experience periodontal disease, laser dentistry has many benefits, including:

• No anesthesia required
• Minimal bleeding
• Faster recovery
• Minimal tissue damage

Laser dentistry usually doesn’t require stitches, meaning less discomfort after your procedure. Your chance of an infection is also decreased because the laser helps to cauterize the area, which essentially works as a sterilization technique.

Although not every dental procedure can be performed using a laser, when it comes to periodontal disease, our team has you covered. The benefits of laser dentistry help you achieve a healthier smile with minimal damage to your surrounding tissues.

If you have periodontal disease, call our office to schedule a consultation at 661-282-7512, or you can book an appointment online.