Plaque and tartar are the leading causes of many oral diseases and infections. You must get them removed by the dentist at regular intervals, which otherwise can lead to oral concerns such as cavities, teeth discoloration, gum diseases, and other diseases. Hence, dentists suggest you attend routine consultations to examine your oral cavity and recommend the suitable treatment.

For several years, dentists used to remove the adhered plaque and tartar deposits using a hook-like scaling tip. The dentist would manually scrape them off the teeth surfaces. Then came the ultrasonic devices, which had a metal tip that vibrated at ultrasonic frequencies. The dentist would use the tip to dislodge the tartar deposits and wash off the debris using a jet of water. On the other hand, root planing was performed by inserting a scaling tip in between the gums and tooth roots and scraping the root surfaces to remove the microbes. The process is known to be highly painful and requires long healing phases for the gums to adhere to the root surfaces.

Lasers of varying intensities and wavelengths have been used in dentistry for several years now. Some of the prominent use cases are to activate whitening gels, harden composite resin restorations and adhesives, dissolving decayed tissues, etc. It can also be used to neutralize the microbes in tartar using a high-intensity laser.

Lasers are known to produce a fine beam of energy that can be localized and targeted at a particular spot. Using a laser to neutralize the microbes by breaking the adhered tartar is an excellent alternative to hand-held scaling, which is a far more painful process. The process results in lesser irritation, and the healing period is significantly shorter.

A laser is used to instantly vaporize decayed gum tissues in the case of gum diseases such as periodontitis. The conventional method involves extracting the decayed tissues through surgery and using sutures to cover the wounds. It usually results in a lot of bleeding, discomfort, and prolonged healing periods during which you should avoid eating hot or spicy foods. In the case of lasers, the process causes mild to no bleeding or discomfort. There is no need for sutures to stitch up the wounds as the laser instantly seals the wound once the tissues are dissolved.