Benefits of Laser Dental Procedures

Lasers are being used in so many other medical applications that it's not the least bit surprising that laser dental treatment and use are gaining popularity among dentists and patients alike. Laser dentistry can improve the precision of the dental procedure and treatment, while minimizing a patient's pain and recovery time.
The FDA approved the use of lasers in hard-tissue dental treatment (primarily for dental caries) in 1997. Prior to that, different types of lasers were already in use for other applications, specifically soft-tissued (such as gums, palate and tongue) areas of the mouth. The differences in the applications will result in the employment of different lasers:

Hard tissue lasers are used to precisely cut into teeth and bone; it's often used to prepare teeth for other procedures such as bonding or repairing worn fillings.

Soft tissue lasers are used to penetrate the soft tissues; the laser penetrates the tissue while simultaneously cauterizing the blood and sealing the nerve endings. There is virtually no post-operative pain when a laser is used, as opposed to a scalpel. The tissue also heals faster when a laser is used.

Laser dentistry brings several major benefits:

In many instances, sutures are not required during soft-tissue procedures
Certain procedures will not require anesthesia (local or general)
Bleeding is minimized because the laser effectively cauterizes the exposed blood vessels
The high energy beam of the laser sterilizes the area being worked on, minimizing risk of bacterial infection
Soft tissue damage to the surrounding area is minimized.
Soft tissue wounds heal faster

Dentists will be able to perform certain dental procedures that they'd never have been able to, were it not for the application of lasers. Some common applications for dental lasers are:

Dental lasers used on hard tissue (i.e. teeth) may, in some people, eliminate the need for Novocain or other local anesthetic injections, and (best of all!) eliminate the need for the traditional drill.
Dental lasers can detect dental caries by looking for the tooth decay by-products
In conjunction with the bleaching process, dental lasers can be used to speed up teeth whitening.
Dental lasers will allow dentists to see inside the tooth and gum, in real time, not just with an X-ray.
Dental lasers can alter the shape of gum tissue and improve a "gummy smile" by exposing healthy tooth structure beneath.
Dental lasers can change the shape of gum tissue to expose the healthier tooth structure beneath. This procedure provides a strong foundation for tooth restoration.
Dental lasers could remove excess tissue folds created by poor fitting dentures, painlessly and without sutures.
Dental lasers can be used to reduce pain and inflammation caused by TMB
Dental lasers can seal the tubules (located on the tooth's root) that are to blame for sensitive to hot and cold