Benefits of Laser Dentistry for Children’s Oral Health

July 2, 2019 Mitten Kids Dentistry

Pediatric Laser Surgery Dentists Grand Rapids, MI

Laser dentistry is an FDA-approved treatment for patients with cavities, gum lesions, or tongue tie. At Mitten Kids Dentistry, we understand that making the best decisions for your child’s oral health is important to you.

This is why we provide all the information on what you can expect from laser dentistry and how it could help treat your child’s oral issues. If you still have any questions, we recommend you contact your child’s pediatric dentist for more information.

What is Laser Dentistry?

Laser dentistry is when a qualified dentist uses a laser to remove lesions or tongue-tie. In certain cases, laser treatment may also be used for treating cavities by strengthening the bond between the tooth and the filling.

Laser dentistry can be less painful than using traditional drills and other dental tools, which may reduce the need for anesthesia. This is especially good for small children and infants who aren’t able to safely handle higher amounts of anesthesia. However, while laser dentistry may be able to reduce the amount of anesthesia needed, it does not completely eliminate the need for painkillers.

Biopsy and Removal of Gum Lesions

If your child has a lesion in their mouth, we can use a laser to carefully remove a small piece of the tissue for testing. While most mouth lesions are benign, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. If the lesion is causing your child pain or discomfort, we can excise it with dental laser treatment.

Pediatric dental lasers can also be used to remove mouth lesions. When a dentist uses a laser, it minimizes the amount of bleeding and swelling by cauterizing the wound as it cuts. Not only does this help pediatric patients recover faster, but it also can be considered less painful than traditional methods of gum lesion removal.

Tongue-tie Treatment

If you’ve noticed that your infant has a band of tissue connecting the tip of their tongue to the floor of their mouth, you will want to consult with a pediatric dental professional as soon as possible. You may also be referred by a lactation consultant if you have been having problems breastfeeding as a result of your child’s tongue-tie.

Tongue-tie can sometimes correct itself or improve by age three; however, this isn’t always the case. Tongue-tie left untreated can interfere with breastfeeding, eating solid foods, and normal speech development. To avoid the consequences of untreated tongue-tie, we recommend you schedule an appointment with a Grand Rapids pediatric dentist who has experience with tongue-tie cases.

The alternative to using a laser involves surgically cutting the frenulum. Laser treatment for tongue-tie, however, is often preferred by parents because the laser cauterizes the wound as it cuts the connective tissue, making for a shorter recovery period.

Cavity Treatment

If your child has a painful tooth, you know that an appointment with your child’s pediatric dentist is on the horizon. For children who are afraid of dentist drills, you may want to consider laser cavity treatment. Laser treatment doesn’t create the same disconcerting drilling sound and can help save more of the healthy tooth during cavity treatment than a traditional dental drill.

While lasers can be used to treat cavities, there are several drawbacks you should be aware of before talking with a knowledgeable pediatric dentist. For example, depending on the type and placement of the cavity, it may still be necessary to use a dental drill with the laser.

Dental laser treatment for cavities is also much more expensive than just using a dental drill and isn’t able to treat cavities that form between teeth. As the parent, it’s ultimately your choice for what will be the best cavity treatment plan for your child.

Is Laser Dentistry Right for my Child?

To determine if laser dentistry is the right dental treatment plan for your child, be sure to consult with an experienced pediatric dentist. We recommend that you pick a pediatric dentist who is certified through the World Clinical Laser Institute and has had extensive training. This will ensure that your child is receiving laser dental treatment from a qualified professional.

If you are interested in our pediatric laser dentistry services, please feel free to schedule an appointment with our Grand Rapids pediatric dentists at (616) 942-9840. Mitten Kids Dentistry is dedicated to helping parents make the right oral health decisions for their children.

This blog post has been updated.

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