Got Gum Disease? Lasers May Play A Role In Healing Your Gums
Dental care has come a long way over the centuries, and it continues to evolve and advance even now. One fairly recent addition to dentists' variety of tools is lasers. While lasers are often used for cosmetic applications and other health concerns, they can also be used to help your body to beat severe gum disease. If you think or know that you have gum disease, your dentist might want to use a laser to solve the problem. Here's why it's a good idea.
Killing Bacteria
Chances are you've heard that heat and energy can be useful in killing unwanted bacteria. It's the general principle behind why the body produces a fever when it's under attack by viruses or bacteria. Raising the temperature can help to kill these things, and it works even better when the process is controlled using a powerful tool like a laser.
Your dentist will likely use a laser to target bacteria that's holed up under the surface of your gums. These gum pockets can contain debris, plaque, and bacteria, and without getting it all out, correcting gum disease may not be possible. The pinpoint of the laser can deliver this kind of heat energy without harming living, healthy tissue, so it only gets rid of what isn't supposed to be there.
Encouraging Healing
The body is pretty good at healing itself, especially when it comes to the mouth. However, lasers can be helpful in encouraging healing to start even faster than if you were to have traditional oral surgery.
When a laser is used in this manner, it creates a small blood clot. While blood clots in some parts of the body can be a bad thing, it's what you want to have when it comes to healing a wound or incision. These blood clots prevent more blood from coming out and help the healing process to begin.
No Stitches
Since dissolving stitches have become popular, getting stitches on one's gums isn't as big a deal as it used to be. However, stitches can still be unpleasant and difficult to clean, and they can cause more irritation and bleeding. With laser oral surgery, though, there's no need for stitches. The blood clot that's formed by the laser helps the gums to bond back over the surface of the tooth, which acts as a natural bandage. With gentle dental care at home, you won't have to worry about coming back to have stitches removed or any of the annoyances they can cause.
Contact a dental office like The Dental Boutique to learn more.