Pediatric dentistry refers to dental care for children. Laser dentistry refers to the use of lasers to perform specific dental procedures. Together, pediatric laser dentistry is the use of dental lasers in children’s dental care.
How are lasers used in pediatric dentistry? What types of procedures may be done with a dental laser? Learn more about the implementation and benefits of pediatric laser dentistry.
What is Pediatric Dentistry?
Pediatric dentistry addresses the unique needs of children when it comes to their dental health. From teething to shedding of baby teeth to make way for permanent teeth coming in, pediatric dentistry covers it all. Pediatric dental practices are geared towards children with inviting office environments that help children feel comfortable, as well as motivational methods to encourage children to take care of their teeth from a young age.
What is Laser Dentistry?
Dental lasers are high tech light emitting devices that deliver concentrated energy. They are capable of performing dental procedures that would typically require the use of a cutting instrument. However, instead of cutting, dental lasers vaporize tissue on contact.
Benefits of Laser Dentistry for Children
The use of dental lasers in children’s dentistry has many benefits:
- Precision. Dental lasers are highly precise, allowing dentists to target the specific areas that need to be treated.
- Minimally invasive. Laser dentistry is minimally invasive, as the laser is capable of eliminating tissue without damaging healthy tissue.
- Less vibration. Dental lasers eliminate the vibration that traditional electric dental tools create, which makes dental procedures more comfortable.
- Reduced bleeding. Dental lasers naturally cauterize tissue as they go, reducing and sometimes preventing bleeding.
- Less anesthesia required. Patients often require less anesthesia during laser dentistry procedures because the lasers provide a more comfortable, less invasive experience.
- Faster recovery. Patients recover more quickly from procedures performed with dental lasers and require fewer doses of pain medication during recovery.
Laser Dentistry Procedures
The following dental procedures may be performed with a dental laser:
- Gum contouring. Dental lasers are highly effective on gum tissue, making it easy to reshape the gums when needed for cosmetic or dental health purposes.
- Treatment for gum disease. Dental lasers can seek out and eliminate diseased tissue to treat gum disease and the residual effects, as well as prevent it from recurring.
- Root canal treatment. When used during root canal treatment, laser dentistry can make the procedure more gentle on the tooth and provide a more thorough cleaning of the root canal to eliminate and prevent infection.
- Extractions. Dental lasers can help with tooth extractions by loosening the tissues holding the tooth in place, making it easier to remove the tooth.
- Frenectomies. Laser dentistry is used in frenectomies to loosen the tissue causing tongue or lip-tie in infants and children.
- Soft tissue biopsy. If there is an abnormality in the soft tissues of the mouth, a laser biopsy provides a minimally invasive option for testing the status.
- Canker and cold sore treatment. Sores in and around the mouth can sometimes be treated with a dental laser to eliminate the infected tissue.
Why Choose a Pediatric Dental Practice Using Laser Dentistry?
A pediatric dental practice using the most up to date technology can provide an advanced level of care for your child. Pediatric laser dentistry is just one of the many forms of technology we use here at Tender Smiles for Kids. We believe in making procedures more comfortable and less invasive for children, minimizing the potential for developing negative feelings about dental care. We also believe in the importance of quality diagnostics to improve the dental and oral health of our young patients.
Contact us today to learn more and schedule an appointment.