Lasers are now part of our lives in many ways. They are in our computer printers and compact disc players, they record prices at the supermarket check-out, they light up rock concerts, and they guide weapons and measure distances between planets. Lasers have also revolutionized many surgical procedures, minimizing bleeding, swelling, scarring, and pain. And now they're beginning to blaze a new trail in dentistry. The potential benefits of laser use in dentistry include procedures done on soft tissues of the mouth. Because laser techniques cause less pain than traditional methods, they are also likely to reduce the fear that many people have of the dentist. At the very least, lasers in some dental applications would eliminate the noise of the instruments that to some patients are nearly as disturbing as the physical discomfort. Dentists are using lasers to treat:
1. Tooth fillings
2. Root canal treatment
3. Gum disease (flap & implant surgeries)
4. Biopsy or lesion removal
5. Teeth whitening
How Do Lasers Work?
All lasers work by delivering energy in the form of light. When used for surgical procedures, the laser acts as a cutting instrument or a vaporizer of tissue that it comes in contact with. When used for "curing" a filling, the laser helps to strengthen the bond between the filling and the tooth. When used in teeth whitening procedures, the laser acts as a heat source and enhances the effect of tooth beaching agents.
Advantages compared to the traditional dental drill to lasers:
1. May cause less pain in some instances, therefore, reducing the need for anesthesia.
2. May reduce anxiety in patients uncomfortable with the use of the dental drill.
3. Minimize bleeding and swelling during soft tissue treatments.
Disadvantages of lasers are that:
1. Lasers can't be used in many commonly performed dental procedures. For example, lasers can't be used to fill cavities located between teeth, around old fillings, and large cavities that need to be prepared for a crown. In addition, lasers cannot be used to remove defective crowns or silver fillings, or prepare teeth for bridges.
2. Traditional drills may still be needed to shape the filling, adjust the bite, and polish the filling even when a laser is used.
3. Lasers do not eliminate the need for anesthesia.
4. Laser treatment tends to be more expensive since the cost of the laser is much higher than a dental drill.





Dr. Vinod Chandel MDS. (Prosthodontics) AIIMS New Delhi
Advanced Dental Care,Prosthodontic and Implant Centre
SCO 157/1 Sector 37-C, Chandigarh
Phone no. 2691001, 09815131898