What Are the Differences Between Laser Dentistry and Drill Dentistry? By Brian May At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Dental lasers are a new technology which is revolutionizing the world of traditional drill based dentistry. Drills, used to correct decayed tooth enamel and gums, as well as enamel scissors, cleaning brushes and other traditional tools are being replaced by the laser which is fast effective and painless, and allows for faster recovery with no requirements of anesthesia.

Dentist’s drills use high speed rotating metal alloy bits which are usually made from high quality steel with a tungsten carbide coating and come in a variety of shapes and sizes for different situations. Earlier drills used to rotate at a speed of approximately three thousand rotations per minute, whereas modern dentist’s drills operate at over eight hundred thousand rotations every minute. These drills may cause uncomfortable shivers when they come into contact with your teeth and are unpleasant to deal with. Certain high speed drills also have the negative effect of causing a layer of dead organic material called a smudge layer to form on the drilled surface. However the drill based technique of dental repair is far cheaper than any other option and remains the most popular to date.

The laser is one of the newest developments of dentistry, where light is used to cut and remove material. Lasers emit light of a synchronized wave pattern, with a high energy content, which can be used to cut through teeth and tissue. By varying the wavelength of the light, it can be used to cut through targets of varying types like dental enamel, decayed teeth, gum tissue, and even used to whiten teeth by cutting through deposit layers on teeth. This technique of using lasers for dental applications has been approved by the Food and Drug Association and the American Dentist Association in the United States of America. While lasers are used for lesion removal, gum problems and tooth decay, they can also be used for detecting cavities. Lately, new technological advances have allowed the production of the two major wavelengths required for dental work to be produced from the same equipment, thus allowing for a reduction in costs for laser dentistry equipment, which will help to popularize it further.

Waterlase is the first brand to market a dental laser based product for cutting hard tissue to be approved by the FDA in the United States.

The prime reason why people prefer laser based dental treatment is that it allows for treating patients without subjecting them to the pain and vibration of a drill and does not require anesthesia. It is also useful for targeting an area to work on with greater precision that a conventional drill, for a laser beam is far thinner than the thinnest of drill bits. There is also no bleaching and swelling which allows for greater patient comfort. They are also used for re-shaping and re-contouring gums as well.

However, nothing is absolutely perfect, and laser dentistry has certain disadvantages as well. While it eliminates the common complaints about the pain and the discomfort of the drill, it cannot be used for teeth where there are existing fillings. Also laser light cannot reach into spaces between two teeth or be used to shape and polish fillings. Neither can it be used to prepare large cavities to make them ready for crowning. However, despite its limitations, it is the best form of dentistry as far as patient comfort is concerned. You should speak to your dentist to determine which option is best for your requirements.

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