Hard Tissue Laser

Laser (Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation) technology has transformed the world of dentistry and healthcare in general. Hard tissue lasers are used in a wide range of functions and treatments including the prevention of caries, removal of debris, bleaching of teeth, treating hypersensitivity, and many other issues. Over the last two decades, hard tissue lasers have established themselves as one of the most effective technologies for precise, effective, and safe treatments.

Nottingham Dental offers some of the most effective and advanced technological procedures and treatments available. Please continue reading for a detailed discussion of hard tissue lasers.

Hard tissue lasers are some of the most effective and advanced technological solutions available for dental treatments. The following is an overview of the specific benefits of hard tissue laser.

• Gentle and Non-Invasive: Hard tissue lasers elevate the effectiveness and comfort of dental procedures. Our teeth contain water — laser energy derived from hard tissue laser affects the water molecules and helps them gently trim the tooth structure. This procedure isn’t just effective but it’s also extremely comfortable with minimal sensation because a continuous stream of water keeps the tooth cool.
• Noiseless: Hard tissue lasers don’t make any sound unlike the unnerving sound of a dental drill. This also helps you — the patient — relax.
• Precision: When you suffer from issues like cavities, the dentist has to remove some of the tooth structure to access the cavity. Traditional technologies like dental drills remove a large part of the original tooth’s structure. However, hard tissue lasers are extremely precise, which means the dentist doesn’t have to remove much of your original structure. Lasers also prevent the formation of stress cracks because they don’t vibrate like dental drills. This strengthens your teeth with the use of minimal filling.
• No Anesthesia: Hard tissue lasers lead to completely comfortable and painless procedures. As such, if the laser is only working on the surface of your tooth, there’s no need for anesthesia.
• Convenient: If you have multiple cavities, dentists generally spread out the procedure because your teeth have to be numbed and given time to recover. However, hard tissue lasers don’t require anesthesia and your teeth don’t have to recover because the filling material sets immediately. As such, you can get all your cavities filled at a single session so you don’t have to worry about downtime and additional sessions.
• No Downtime: With traditional treatments, you often need stitches and a considerable healing period for your teeth, during which you have to closely monitor your diet as well. With hard tissue lasers, you rarely need stitches and there’s no recovery period so you can get back to your regular daily habits and your regular diet (as long as it’s healthy) immediately.

The following is a brief overview of some of the most common procedures and applications of hard tissue lasers.

• Dental Restoration: The laser emits a high-intensity blue light that starts a photopolymerization process to harden dental fillings and bond them to the surface of the tooth. Hard tissue lasers also protect your teeth from cavities.
• Laser Fluorescence: After orthodontic procedures, parts of your teeth may have white spots because of demineralization. Hard tissue lasers reverse this procedure and restore the original color of your teeth.
• Etching: Hard tissue lasers are also used to transform a smooth enamel surface to a roughened surface, which is necessary for several tooth restoration procedures.
• Dentinal Hypersensitivity: Laser is also effective in treating the cervical parts of a hypersensitive tooth.
• Diagnosis: Hard tissue lasers can also be used to diagnose dental issues like the presence of caries or dental restoration.