The word laser – Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation – is an abbreviation from the English language, which translated means “light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation”.
In medicine, the laser has been used successfully since the early sixties.A distinction is made between different types of lasers:
- Solid-state laser
- Gas laser
- Liquid laser
The classification of solid, gas and liquid refers to the material used in the lasers.Depending on the power level, there is a subdivision into soft lasers, which are used for biostimulation, medium and high power lasers.In dentistry, the laser can be successfully used in a variety of areas.
Laser in endodontics (root canal treatment)
Endodontics deals with the roots of the teeth. If the pulp of the tooth (nerve-vascular bundle) is inflamed, it is called pulpitis. The inflammation causes the affected tooth to be sensitive when biting or knocking on it. This is very unpleasant and painful and root canal treatment becomes necessary. In the case of pulpitis, attempts must be made to combat the inflammation locally, i.e. on the spot. However, conventional attempts (e.g. rinsing with disinfecting solutions) are not always successful in disinfecting the root canal.If the inflammation cannot be contained, it is often necessary to resect the root tip (root tip resection) or even remove the entire tooth (tooth extraction). Nowadays, this can often be prevented by means of modern laser technology.
The light of the laser has a bactericidal (bacteria-killing) effect. Using a special instrument, the dentist can introduce the laser light directly into the inflamed root area and thus destroy the microorganisms that have led to the inflammation. The laser light can penetrate up to 1,100 µm deep and thus reach the bacteria that cannot be removed with conventional rinsing solutions. In most cases, one or two treatments are sufficient to end the symptoms.
The laser can also be used to close the root canal after treatment has been completed.It is also possible for a granuloma (root granuloma) or cyst to form at the tip of the root, which must be removed. This can also be performed by laser and due to the simultaneous bactericidal effect of the laser, the chances of success are significantly better than when removed by conventional methods.Even if a fistula is already present, the laser can contribute to the healing of the inflammatory process by decontamination.
Benefits
A tooth that would be unsalvageable by conventional methods can be treated by laser to improve the long-term prognosis.
