September 3, 2009 — WEST LOS ANGELES, CA — Even people with the best dental hygiene can have problems with cavities. But, thanks to diagnostic oral laser technology, dentists can literally see a cavity coming before tooth decay arrives.

Traditional methods of examining the oral cavity for cavities include visual inspection, magnified visual exams, or adjuncts to visual exams such as probes or X-rays of the oral cavity. But, visual exams and even X-rays can be misleading. For example, teeth often have discolorations that resemble a cavity. This often leads dentists to hold off on removing a cavity or operating on a tooth that is only discolored. However, diagnostic lasers use a light wavelength that only reacts to oral lesions in or on the tooth.

West LA cosmetic dentist Dr. Neda Naim uses the DIAGNOdent laser detection tool to examine her patient’s teeth and identify cavities forming in the early stages. According to the doctor, the tool significantly improves the visual and radiographic images of a tooth compared to other detection. This allows doctors and hygienists to better evaluate the presence of dental caries on the surface of the tooth or even submerged dental caries.
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