Why and How We Use State-of-the-Art Laser Dentistry

What Are the Advantages of Laser Dentistry for Kids?

Every parent wants their child to have easier, more pain-free, and less anxiety-inducing dental treatment options. And with laser dentistry, dentists have the power to make this happen. Here’s what you need to know about laser treatment options and how Spinnaker Pediatric Dentistry uses this advancement in dental technology to make dentistry more convenient and pleasant for our patients and their parents.

Laser dentistry is a safe option.

A question we hear often from parents is whether or not laser dentistry is safe for kids. Our answer has always been a resounding YES! This treatment option is perhaps even safer than other conventional methods. Your little one will also wear goggles during every procedure that requires lasers, further increasing the safety of light therapy dental treatments.

It’s typically painless.

Children of all ages with different levels of pain tolerance normally find laser dentistry to be a comfortable treatment option. Dental lasers seal the ends of nerves on contact, reducing any pain you’ll feel during the procedure to virtually nonexistence. Because of this benefit, pediatric dentists may recommend laser therapy for parents who want a drug-free alternative to traditional dental procedures or for kids who are too young for anesthetics.

Laser dentistry involves precision.

With laser therapy, your pediatric dentist can use a specific concentration of light to heat up a very small area — significantly reducing contact with nearby areas and, in turn, resulting in less damage to those tissues. This is another reason why laser dentistry is typically painless. The precision of laser technology is especially beneficial when treating muscle attachment (frenulum) in children who are tongue tied or babies who have problems breastfeeding because of limited tongue movement. And since not all laser procedures require stitches afterwards, there’ll be less trauma on your little one’s gums, lips, and teeth — allowing them to preserve the natural composition of these important oral structures for a little longer.

It leaves less bleeding and swelling.

For the same reason that there would be less damage to surrounding tissues, there may be less bleeding and swelling. Your pediatric dentist can use the laser beam to seal any bleeding blood vessels which, in turn, promotes blood clotting. Bleeding and swelling would undoubtedly be an issue when using old-fashioned root planing or scaling methods to treat gum disease. But instead of deep cleaning the gum pockets of all plaque and tartar, which harbor harmful bacteria, laser technology allows dentists to vaporize the diseased tissue — a minimally invasive process. And since there’s little to no need for sutures, there’s also little to no bleeding. Allowing your little one’s gums and teeth to recover quicker than if your dentist had used traditional dental instruments.

There is a reduced risk of infection.

Perhaps one of the main reasons pediatric dentists prize laser therapy so much is because of how effective this treatment option is at reducing the risk of dental infection. Lasers won’t cause any abrasions in the soft tissues of the gum— which is often how most infections start. Instead, the heat from the lasers sterilize the areas that the beam comes into contact with during the procedure. The result? A reduced risk of complications that would otherwise arise from the spread of infection causing bacteria. Lasers can also kill the bacteria in a cavity without the use of a drill and create a stronger bond between a tooth and a composite material — an advantage when you want to preserve the long-term health of a tooth and increase the longevity of a filling.

Laser dentistry takes place in a more comfortable environment.

If your little one often gets nervous because of the noise of the drill, unpleasant vibrations, heat, or even smell, then laser dentistry may be a great treatment option for them. Here at our Salem, Oregon dental practice we’ve eliminated the drill in almost all our procedures and adopted an almost silent tooth preparation system: air abrasion. Through it, we can offer patients a gentler and more pleasant experience. This method allows your child to rest more comfortably in the dentist’s chair and increases the likelihood of success in a variety of treatments — from “prepping” a tooth for a filling, to “power” whitening teeth, and performing surgery.

Best Pediatric Laser Dentistry in Salem, Oregon

At Spinnaker Pediatric Dentistry, a lot of our tech can be fun for kids. But it’s not all just flashy tools with no purpose. Through state-of-the-art laser technology like air abrasion we can make every dental appointment a positive experience. If laser dentistry has you interested and you’d like to learn more or to schedule an appointment, reach out to us today! We’re always happy to take the time to explain our tech to children and parents alike, and to also demonstrate its use.