Loving Those Dental Lasers
As a dentist who is an “early adopter” of new technology, I have been using dental lasers in my practice for the past 15 years. Not unlike the technological advances we have seen with cell phones, these have greatly decreased in size from the first bulky prototypes to the streamlined models in use today. In the case of dental lasers, these have shrunk in size from around 45 lbs to just 1.9 oz! They are now much more portable and user-friendly. Set-up time is also much reduced for the convenience of our patients. We used to have to wheel the old lasers into the operatory on a cart, but now they are so light and wireless that we can literally carry them around in our pockets!
Patient Benefits Abound
The benefits of using dental lasers in patient care are many. Compared with conventional procedures and surgical devices, the laser is gentler, more predictable and usually requires little to no local anesthetic. They can be used safely around dental implants. Most patients experience little, if any, discomfort, and healing occurs much more quickly. Perhaps the biggest advantage for patients is the minimally invasive nature of a dental laser procedure when compared to a scalpel. Patients may delay treatment due to fear of pain with a scalpel procedure, but when they understand that the laser will vaporize the tissue with no discomfort or bleeding afterwards, they are more likely to agree to prompt treatment. Early detection and early treatment results in a much better outcome than waiting until a dental condition has worsened to take therapeutic action.
We love to show patients our latest dental technology and to explain how it helps improve their quality of care. Next time you visit us, ask to look over our lasers!
