Nov 25, 2009 7:11 pm US/Eastern
HealthWatch: Dental Laser
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
A trip to the dentist can cause anyone to grit their teeth, and for kids, it can be especially scary, but there's some new technology that can help to ease fears and discomfort for young patients.
The standard drill for cavities is being replaced with a new laser that will eliminate the need for numbing shots and anesthesia
"Basically what the laser does is it seeks out water. A tooth is not only a solid structure. It contains water as well. Now when you have a cavity, the softness of that cavity contains more water so when you're using the laser it seeks out the water and blasts that cavity away until you have a more solid tooth structure," said Dr. Loan Mao.
Alex Cretella, 12, is not new to dental visits, but there's still a hint of anxiety.
"Usually it's 'oh no'," he said. "They're filling a cavity and it will take a while and it won't be comfortable."
With the new "waterlase," the procedure won't be as bad.
"It also helps to desensitize the tooth to pain so you can go further in your preps without getting them numb," Mao said.
The procedure takes about fifteen minutes, and can also be time saving since there is usually no need for any anesthesia.
"It was pretty much like a water pic and a syringe with some glue in it," Cretella said.
"You're working to make the patient feel comfortable so as they grow older, they'll feel comfortable coming back to the dentist they'll do regular visits rather than sporadic visits. That what our goal is," Mao said.
Although the waterlase technology isn't right for every type of dental problem, most kids with smaller sized cavities can use the procedure.
Since dentists usually only numb one side of the mouth at a time, a child with multiple cavities may be required to make more than one visit.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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