Though lasers may seem to be a tool of the future, they are much more prevalent in everyday life than most of us realize. The dental industry is no exception; there are lasers used in all aspects of oral care—mapping teeth structures, destroying malignant substances or whitening teeth—with varying intensities. This blog post serves as an introduction and teaser to the wide world of laser dentistry, with key details and types to begin one’s understanding of the topic.
Laser dentistry originated in the 1960’s, shortly after the general development of ruby lasers. But it took until the 90’s for them to be safe enough for everyday dental application. Throughout the 70’s and 80’s the lasers were effective, but overly so as they caused lasting damage to the teeth and the nerve pulp below.
Eventually, researchers created a laser that operated within the perfect wavelength, one where the damage could be specialized and localized to the substances specified—be it soft or hard tissues, enamel or plaque—without underlying damage to the structure of the mouth. These lasers were used for specialized treatments throughout the 80’s but became mainstream in 1989 when dental lasers became commercially available. And their usage has only continued to grow and refine itself in a myriad of specialized applications.
Common among all dental laser treatments though, is their increased sterility. Their high heat and UV characteristics foster an environment with decreased microbial and bacterial numbers, decreasing risks of infection post-treatment. But beyond that, there are various types of dental lasers, each utilizing lasers in unique ways to target specific oral problems.
For a sampler of the various usages of laser dentistry, a dental diode proves a good example. Diode lasers are primarily utilized to target the soft tissues of the teeth. They function from special semiconductors that produce a monochromatic light when stimulated by electricity. A laser pointer is a weaker example that uses the same apparatus. When used in dentistry diode lasers do not actually directly interact with the tissue. They instead heat a quartz tip, which cuts and interacts with the tissues, cauterizing and destroying its targets. They are especially effective in intraoral soft tissue procedures like biopsies, frenectomies, impression troughing and gingivectomies. They are also useful when completing laser-assisted tooth whitening procedures.
For a laser used in the imagined way, the erbium laser is a good example, as unlike diode lasers, erbium lasers interact directly with the oral tissues. To function they heat the water in the various tissues, causing them to rupture and collapse. This often results in a popping sound when utilized. Erbium lasers work with soft and hard tissues and can prepare enamel, dentin, caries, cementum and bone. It also functions on hard tissues, sans the noise and vibration of drills, allowing for more precision and less patient pain. They also reduce the amount of microfractures when substituted for drills in procedures, as a transition between blunt and secondary force.
These descriptions serve only as a teaser to the various and widespread use of lasers in dentistry today. From mapping teeth structures to destroying plaque, lasers are diversifying to aid and accomplish each oral health task. Throughout these next few blog posts, we will be exploring the specific uses of laser dentistry and how it can help you and your teeth.
Works Cited:
1. Crest + OralB: Dentalcare, Procter and Gamble, Golden Gate Dental.“Diode Lasers.”
2. Golden Gate Dental, 2 Apr. 2018, “The History Of Laser Dentistry.”
3. Van As, Glenn. Dental Clinics of North America, vol. 48, no. 4, Oct. 2004. National Library of Medicine, “Erbium lasers in dentistry.”