Lasers are one of the latest technologies that is highly beneficial in medical science, also in dentistry. It has many applications in dentistry. It can be used in various dental procedures like surgeries, gum diseases, controlling bleedings, teeth whitening procedures, tooth decays and biopsies etc. As compared to dental drills it is comfortable and has less or minimal pain hence reduces the need of anesthesia. It greatly reduces the dental drill related anxiety of the patients. It minimizes the bleeding and swelling during soft tissue treatments.

At the same time it also has some limitations. It cannot be used in already filled teeth or adjacent to teeth fillings. In some cases dental drills are the only options available. Drills are needed to shape the filling, adjust the bite, and polish the filling even when a laser is used. Lasers do not eliminate the need for anesthesia. Most of all lasers are more expensive as compared to conventional dental drills.