Using lasers in the dental clinic may sound like some far-fetched futuristic prediction, but lasers are actually already widely used by dentists in the UK and researchers are always coming up with new uses for these clever gadgets in all areas of medicine. Some patients have expressed their concern about the safety of laser dentistry, but there really is nothing to worry about. The lasers used in dental treatments are very safe and are controlled at all times by the dentists themselves. It is just another tool that your dentist can use, in the same way that he would use a scaler to clean your teeth or a drill to fix your cavities.

The most common use of lasers in dentistry is during teeth whitening procedures. The teeth are coated with a special whitening substance, which reacts when it is exposed to a laser. This leads to quicker results than the usual teeth whitening treatments and it is also much more effective than previous products used in dental clinics. This is quite a superficial use of lasers compared to some of the new dentistry techniques that are being developed.

Gum lifts may be one of the newest cosmetic dentistry procedures available, but as more and more clinics invest in their own laser it is a procedure that is likely to gain popularity. If you feel that your smile is too gummy or you are suffering from a ‘gummy smile’, the laser can be used to “cut” away the unwanted areas of gum, leading to a more confident smile. Gum lifts are already common in Hollywood and as lasers become an accepted part of dentistry in the UK, they will become as normal as teeth whitening or braces.

Lasers can also be used in the preparation of teeth fillings, in place of the dreaded drill. Instead of needing a local anaesthetic in order to drill the affected tooth, a laser can be used to cut away the damaged parts, leaving the cavity ready for filling. A much quicker, cleaner and less painful way of getting a filling than the old-fashioned method!