Prevention is always better than cure. In dental matters too, this adage applies. Children are more vulnerable to caries and hence prevention is applied more in children than adults. It is not that adults do not get caries. They too are vulnerable albeit to a lesser degree. The advent of laser dentistry has indeed made prevention a tad easier. In this article, we will explore the use of laser in different dental procedures that can help in prevention.
Early detection of dental caries in children
By far this is the single biggest advantage of a laser. The usual manual probing and radiographic evaluations are good in detecting advanced stages of dental caries. They normally fail to detect the early stages of dental caries. But laser can detect with precision any early stages of dental caries. Such caries can be treated with minimally invasive methods using a laser. Early removal of dental caries can safeguard the milk teeth in children so that they can have healthy secondary teeth.
Laser Teeth Cleaning
Children and adults can benefit immensely with laser teeth cleaning. The plaque and tartar found on the surface of the teeth can be removed by laser with ease. No big drilling and grinding. The other advantage is the ability of a laser to not disturb the enamel layer.
Anti-bacterial properties of Laser
The good advantage of a laser is they are anti-bacterial. Yes, they kill the germs inside caries and cavities when the laser is being used. This gives additional protection to the teeth and prevents the teeth from any further damage.
Laser Teeth Filling
When composite teeth fillings are used to fill the teeth cavity after it has been cleaned, they can aid in preventing further damage to the teeth and can preserve its structure and function. Laser activated fillings assist the bonding of the composite filling to the teeth much quicker. The bonding has been proved to be superior and hence they perfectly help in preventing any further gum and teeth issues.
Laser-activated Fluoride Therapy
The dental enamel is irradiated with dental lasers after fluoride is applied to them. The fluoride that gets attached to the enamel layer combats dental caries. Also, this laser-activated therapy works against the acid films produced by the bacteria thereby saving the teeth from any damage.