The laser tool of modern dentistry techniques

To the general public, the laser tool of modern dentistry techniques is synonymous with high technology and progress.

Still little used by  dentists, especially given its price, the laser has yet real advantages over traditional techniques, without replacing them completely.

The first dental lasers have emerged in the 1980s. But they really took off in dentistry in the early 2000s with the launch of new generation lasers, less painful and more efficient.

A laser is an optical-electronic system that produces a narrow beam of light and precise, with a single wavelength (ie, one color, if the wavelength concerned is located in the visible spectrum).This light beam concentrates a large amount of energy, which after absorption by water in body tissues, acts as a “light scalpel” (cutting soft tissue, spraying cavities, …). The degree of absorption of the light beam by a tissue depends on the wavelength used and the amount of water contained in the target tissue.

The energy is transmitted to the tissue or through a flexible optical fiber (Fiber lasers), or by an articulated arm.

The fields of application of lasers in dentistry are multiple conservative dentistry (eg treatment of caries), periodontal (eg non-surgical treatment of periodontal pockets), soft tissue surgery (eg removal of benign tumors), endodontics (eg : Treatment of dental root canals), implants (eg release of implants covered by the gum) and cosmetic dentistry.

There are two types of lasers: versatile lasers called to deal with both soft tissue (gums, tongue or mucosa) and hard tissue (enamel, dentin, bone or tooth decay), and lasers for soft tissue alone. The effects on the tissues vary according to the characteristics of the laser and processing parameters. Only some of the latest generation lasers are actually really versatile, that is to say they can work effectively on both types of tissues.

In Europe, countries that use the most versatile dental lasers are Germany and Italy. Anyone who uses the least is the United Kingdom. France is about average. Consider that about 2.5% of some 40,000 practicing dentists use French regularly at least one type of laser.

When using a laser, protective eyewear is mandatory for both the patient and the dentist.