How Laser Therapy Works as an Adjunct to Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy (NSPT)
Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy (NSPT) is a course of rigorous therapy directed at the gum pockets with a depth of more than 5mm. This therapy aims to significantly lower the risk of gum disease development and includes a thorough scaling of the root surface, referred to as root planning. The above procedure may significantly reduce the advance of gum infection. In addition, laser treatment may be an adjunct to NSPT. Lasers are used during root canal procedures to remodel the gums and eliminate bacteria.
A biopsy sample may be extracted using lasers and studied under a microscope to screen for malignancy. Lasers may also treat oral lesions and relieve the pain associated with canker sores (Behdin et al., 2015). Laser therapy is a treatment that cuts and destroys tissue, such as cancer tissue, by using powerful, narrow beams of light. Lasers may be used in dental clinics to cut hard and soft tissues, remove oral lesions, cure herpetic lesions, and conduct periodontal treatment, among other things (Bowen, 2015). In dentistry, the first use of “light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation” (LASER) dates back to 1960, when it was first used. Lasers have been more widely used in dentistry due to advancements in technology and lower costs related to their use.
Benefits, Limitations, and Potential Risks of Laser Therapy in the Treatment of Periodontitis and Peri-Implant Diseases
Periodontitis and peri-implant disease may be effectively treated with laser therapy. The above treatment assists in lessening pain, reducing anesthetic dependency, preventing bacteremia, controlling bleeding, and enhancing wound healing. However, bleeding may also be regulated by the laser’s wavelength and power settings. Laser treatment provides advantages that outweigh the disadvantages. One of its disadvantages is the high cost of laser treatment equipment and the need for further training (Mills et al., 2018). Wearing safety precautions such as eyewear is also a disadvantage. There is overwhelming evidence that lasers represent a severe risk of significant burns and other negative repercussions for both laser specialists and clients (Mills et al., 2018). Laser technicians and operators must wear protective eyewear to prevent unintended and hazardous irradiation.
Effectiveness of Laser Therapy as an Adjunct to NSPT
Dental hygienists are responsible for administering NSPT to patients with periodontitis to fulfil their treatment requirements. In recent years, laser treatment has grown in popularity with scaling and root planning (SRP) because of its alleged advantages associated with NSPT healing. (Bowen, 2015). According to Jiang et al. (2021), laser therapy with NSPT is more efficient than non-surgical periodontal therapy. The advantages of laser therapy extend far beyond periodontal treatment; they may also be utilized to reduce discomfort and aid the healing of aphthous ulcers (Jiang et al., 2021). While the dental laser is not a cure-all, it may be essential to your toolkit, primarily when used with non-surgical periodontal therapy.
Most Effective Laser for Adjunctive Treatment of NSPT
Lasers in dentistry may be categorized in various ways, including by the kind of tissue being treated, the medium of the laser being used, and the laser’s wavelength. Neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd: YAG) lasers have been demonstrated to be successful in treating periodontitis and peri-implant disease (Jiang et al., 2021). The Nd: YAG surgical laser provides good hemostasis while cutting and coagulating periodontal soft tissues.
References
Behdin, S., Monje, A., Lin, G. H., Edwards, B., Othman, A., & Wang, H. L. (2015). Effectiveness of laser application for periodontal surgical therapy: systematic review and meta‐analysis. Journal of Periodontology, 86(12), 1352-1363.
Bowen, D. M. (2015). Lasers and non-surgical periodontal therapy. Journal of Dental Hygiene, 89(4). 206-209. Web.
Jiang, Y., Feng, J., Du, J., Fu, J., Liu, Y, Juo, L., & Jiu, Y. (2021). Clinical and biochemical effect of laser as an adjunct to non-surgical treatment of chronic periodontitis. Oral diseases, 0, 1-16. Web.
Mills, M. P., Rosen, P. S., Chambrone, L., Greenwell, H., Kao, R., Klokkovold, P. R., McAllister, B. S., Reynolds, M. A., Romanos, G. E., & Wang, H-L. (2018). American academy of periodontology best evidence consensus statement on the efficacy of laser therapy used alone or as an adjunct to non-surgical and surgical treatment of periodontitis and peri-implant diseases. Journal of Periodontology, 89, 737-742. Web.