Decayed tooth enamel and gums are common problems among children
and older people. Traditional dentistry used enamel scissors,
drills, rotary tools and cleaning brushes to treat these
problems. There are two types of devices that are currently used
in dentistry to remove decay from teeth, one is the Dental Drill
and the other is the Dental Laser.
Dental drill or drill dentistry is the most common and
traditional technology. This device uses hard metal alloy bits.
These metal bits are available in various shapes and sizes as a
useful attachment for different applications. Most of them are
made with steel within tungsten carbide coating. Earlier dentist
drills were slow in speed - around 3000 rpm - but today's drills
are much more advanced and can rotate at 800,000 rpm. But these
drills can give you chills and cold sweats as they make physical
contact with your teeth. This technique is not very comfortable
but it's also not too costly. The dental drill is still an
essential part of every dentist's equipment. Some high-speed
dental drills may cause a smudge layer, which is a layer of dead
organic material.
The latest technology used in dentistry is the 'Laser'. A Laser
is a device that emits energy in the form of amplified light.
This amplified light is used to cut tissue and teeth. This light
is transmitted at different wavelengths for different targets
including enamel, gum tissue, decayed teeth, and whitening
enhancement. Laser dentistry is an FDA (Food and Drug
Association) approved technology and it has also received ADA
(American Dentist Association) seal of acceptance, which assures
the safety of this technology. Most dentists use lasers only for
tooth decay, gum problems, and lesion removal. Lasers can also
be used to detect cavities. NASA Langley research center has
stated that two major wavelengths for dentists can be produced
using the same hardware resulting reduced cost and complexity.
Waterlase laser is the first laser approved by FDA for cutting
hard tissue.
The major advantage of a dental laser compared to a dentist
drill is that it causes no vibration and no pain. It does not
require any anesthesia. It can target a specific portion without
disturbing the surrounding area. Bleaching and swelling are also
reduced and the patient feels comfortable and at ease. Currently
lasers are used for recon-touring or re-shaping gums. Dental
lasers are quite safe and are an effective procedure for
treating dentistry in children and adults.
No doubt, laser dentistry offers numerous important improvements
over the dentist drill and also eliminates the common complaints
of traditional dentistry. But laser dentistry has some
disadvantages. For example, laser dentistry may not be used for
teeth where previous filling has been done. It also cannot be
used to fill cavities located between teeth, or shape or polish
the filling. Laser is also not suited for large cavities that
need to be prepared for a crown. Even though laser dentistry has
some limitations it is by far the best dentistry for a patient's
comfort. As per a patient's condition and requirements, your
dentist can help you choose which is best for you.
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