Bye Bye, Horror Trips to the Dentist

So far, merely uttering the word "dentist" was enough to send shivers down our spines - which meant that actually taking the trip to the dentist's office, lying in the dreaded chair and hearing the sound of the drill being switched on would probably make us feel like we were living some sort of surrealistic nightmare. For nervous patients and young children in particular, the dentist's was definitely not the place to be. However, scientists assure us that this is about to change, as they add the finishing touches to a new laser-powered machine that will allow them to complete most of the dental procedures without the heat, the pressure and the noise of the old drills.

The new system is called Fotona Fidelis Plus III and comes with two types of lasers. The first "intelligent" laser is designed to adapt the intensity of its beam function to the type of tissue it meets: its power increases when it detects decayed tissue and slows down when it detects healthy tissue. Such a laser also has improved precision, focusing the high energy waves directly at affected areas, without damaging the tissue or bone in their immediate proximity. The second type of laser uses lower energy levels and it's therefore ideal for treating gums and other soft tissues. In fact, this second laser is more or less similar to the lasers used by dermatologists to smooth out wrinkles or remove prominent veins.

The downside to all this is that these lasers cannot be used on older silver mercury fillings, as the laser beam is reflected back by the metal surface of the mercury, which could lead to serious accidents. Also, laser vaporizes mercury and gold inlays, giving off a dangerous poisonous gas. However, doctors say that the use of this new laser system is revolutionary.

"For children and nervous patients especially, this is a breakthrough", states Dr Emmanouil Koloutsos, a specialist in laser dentistry quoted by the Daily Mail. "The laser can do everything the drill can, but without the noise and heat and, for the vast majority, without causing pain [...]. The laser sterilizes as it works, and healing time is quicker because less damage is done during treatment". So provided we don't have mercury fillings, there is still hope for all of us dentist haters out there - which is always good news.