Considering the switch from traditional dentistry to laser treatments can seem like a big step.
Maybe you’re not quite there yet, and you feel like you need to know more, or you want to be sure that this is right for you.
We’re here to address some of those fears and talk about the side effects, if any, that come from using laser dentistry practices.
Why Using a Trained Practitioner is So Important
The most dangerous thing about dental procedures is that they need to be performed by a professional that has ample amount of experience.
If your care falls into the hands of someone inexperienced or not trained well in the practices being performed, the risk of side effects is much higher.
This is true for all dental practices and not just laser treatments. For this reason, it is good to ask questions, read reviews, and be sure that your dentist knows what they’re doing.
Look for companies such as Wayzata Dental, which has been using laser dentistry for almost all its treatments for over five years. The experience that accumulated over that amount of time leads to high-quality care and excellent customer experiences.
Side Effects of Traditional Dentistry
We know that traditional dentistry can be just as damaging to your oral health as any new practice if in the wrong hands, but what can happen?
Dental Surgery
One disappointing part of going to the dentist is that you might find out that you need a filling or worse, surgery. Most times, surgery is done to help fight gum disease and to repair very severely damaged teeth. Operations like root canals can be common. Often times with oral surgery, the recovery time can leave you sore for a few days. While surgery is a good solution for more severe ailments, it should always be used with caution as the original tissue is always best.
Novocain
No one likes the unpleasant taste of Novocain, and most everyone has experienced it. Sometimes even worse is when you can’t feel your lip or tongue for hours after and at times also need to wait to eat. This makes a dentist appointment around dinner time very problematic for kids.
Anesthesia
While anesthesia is as common as it once was, there are still times in which it is necessary in order to complete a traditional dental surgery. There are many side effects that anesthesia can cause depending on the pre-existing health conditions of the patient.
Dental Laser Treatment Side Effects
One thing you’ll notice about laser dentistry is that the side effects, although few and far between are much more minimal than some of the things that can go wrong with traditional dentistry. This, along with the ease of operation, makes it a smart choice.
There are many different laser dental operations that can be performed. Almost all traditional dentist practices can now be performed faster and more efficiently with laser treatment.
While there are many fewer side effects to laser dentistry, these are the two most common concerns.
Hard Lasers Can Sometimes Injure Tooth Pulp
This concern is definitely legitimate. No one wants to see anything like this happen. It can be costly and painful.
Naturally, this happens when a tooth is broken or knocked out. Most often, it leads to a lot of pain, and later the tooth needs to be repaired. Lasers in dentistry can actually stimulate tissue growth. If this problem was to happen naturally, you might consider asking a laser dentist professional to help repair it.
Injury to tooth pulp can be prevented and is very unlikely. With a true professional providing your treatment, you won’t have to worry about this happening at all.
There is a Risk of Gum Injury
The second most common concern in laser dentistry is gum injury. Gum injury is something that can take place in all forms of dentistry and not just in laser dentistry. It is, in essence, when your gum tissue becomes damaged by the misuse of a tool or the misdirection of dental lasers.
For the same reason that laser dentistry can help with pulp (nerve) damage in your tooth, it can also help with gum damage.
The lasers actually disinfect the area around the tooth and the gums when treated and also promote blood clotting.
On the slight chance your gums were ever damaged during a dental procedure, a laser dentist professional would be able to help out quite a bit! You can learn more about the benefits of laser gum treatment from one of our previous posts.
Why Choose Laser Dentistry?
There are a lot of reasons why laser dentistry is better for your oral health than traditional dentistry. One of those reasons is because the treatments can be done much faster and with almost always no pain at all. That means that you are in and out in less time and with fewer side effects.
If you’re interested in laser dentistry, we’re happy to answer any of your questions. If you’d like to book an appointment, don’t wait. Schedule one today!
Wayzata Dental has been an early adopter of any dentistry tool (including laser dentistry) that allows them to provide safer and more comfortable care for their patients.