Laser Cavity Detection is a painless & simple procedure. It allows for early cavity detection, which means less invasive treatment. We use it on suspicious teeth after careful visual examination & thorough cleaning. Suspicious teeth are teeth that are discolored, stained, or have enamel defects. The tip of the handpiece is placed lightly on the biting surface and swept across the tooth. A tooth surface that produces a high reading indicates decay in the grooves. This is a useful tool because in some cases a low reading can be an early clue for patients to pay special attention to specific teeth. When the detector does give us readings beyond certain level, we know that decay has started in the tooth, and that the it may need a filling.
The biggest advantage of this device is that we can catch cavities while they are small, before they get deeper into teeth and cause more extensive long term damage. We always like to be able to take care of small problems before they turn into something worse.