On November 19, 2010, the staff attended a seminar: Incorporating Lasers into General Practice by Dr. Robert Convissar. Lasers are being used in many medical fields these days and dentistry is no exception. Dr. Convissar gave us a little background on the different types of lasers, how each of them are best used for different procedures and the changes in the innovations since the inception of lasers in dentistry. Lasers do not expose an individual to radiation, they work by movement of energy. By choosing an appropriate wavelength, we can specifically target diseased tissue thereby leaving healthy tissue unharmed and enabling new tissue to grow in place of the diseased tissue. This is possible because lasers decontaminate and disinfect the area.
We learned about the benefits of incorporating certain types of lasers with conventional dental procedures and how they can greatly improve periodontal (gum) health. Other types of lasers can be used to remove excessive gum tissue, which grows because of the side effects of medications such as cyclosporine and dilantin given to patients who have had transplants or neurological disorders. In some cases, lasers can also be used to remove cavities without the need to freeze the patient.
Laser Procedure | Conventional Dental Procedure |
Generally no injection needed | Injection needed |
No bleeding | Bleeding |
Sterilizes pocket/area | Doesn’t kill all bacteria |
No post-operative medication/discomfort | May need NSAIDS(pain killers) to combat discomfort |
We found this seminar very informative. We are always keeping abreast of new innovations and technologies in dentistry and this seminar really gave us a good understanding of what to look for when assessing the need for incorporating lasers into our practice.
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