Going to the dentist is some people’s worst nightmare. If you have dental anxiety and always dread your regular cleanings, learning that you need a root canal or a cavity filled can send you into a panic.
Thankfully, there’s an alternative option for painless, needle-free dental care: laser dentistry. Laser dentistry is growing in popularity for all kinds of patients. As you start to learn more about laser dentistry and consider if it’s right for you, you’ll probably wonder how much it costs.
Let’s take a closer look at the average laser dentistry cost, as well as insurance coverage, benefits, and more.
Average Laser Dentistry Cost
Laser treatments are great for many common dental procedures. In most cases, the out-of-pocket price of dental treatments will increase if lasers are used.
The out-of-pocket cost for a laser dentistry procedure can usually range from $200 to $400. However, if you live in a high-cost-of-living location or need a more involved procedure, the out-of-pocket price can increase to $500-$1200.
Ultimately, the price of laser treatment ranges greatly based on your location, procedure, and insurance coverage.
Is Laser Dentistry Covered by Insurance?
Speaking of insurance coverage, most people are curious to know if dental lasers are covered by insurance or if they fall under the “cosmetic procedures” category.
There’s good news: Laser dentistry is covered by dental insurance. 🥳
This works because dental insurance covers specific dental procedures regardless of how the procedure is performed. In short, insurance covers the procedure, not the technique.
So, it’s not a matter of whether or not your dental insurance covers laser dentistry, but more of a matter of if your plan covers the procedure you need or not.
For example, if you get laser teeth whitening, that probably would not be covered by your insurance because it’s considered a cosmetic procedure. However, if you get a cavity filled with a laser, that procedure likely would be covered by insurance.
You have many options when it comes to dental insurance. If your employer doesn’t provide a plan for you, you can choose from the following insurance providers:
- Delta Dental (the most popular)
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Aetna
- Regence
- BCBS
- Humana
- Metlife
- Premera
- United Health Care
- And more
Since laser dentistry is covered by insurance, you may not have to worry about the out-of-pocket costs listed in the first section. Depending on your specific insurance policy and the dental procedure you need, you may only need to pay a small amount (or none at all!).
Common Laser Dental Procedures
Laser dentistry can be used in many different procedures. Procedures are broken down based on soft tissue or hard tissue.
Soft Tissue Procedures
Soft tissue procedures occur in the more “gummy” parts of your mouth. Some procedures that can be completed with a laser include:
- Gingivectomy: A gingivectomy is a cosmetic procedure that is also referred to as gum contouring or reshaping. It helps reshape the gum line by removing gum tissue.
- Gummy smile treatment: A “gummy smile” is when someone has extra tissue surrounding their teeth. Your dentist can use a laser to remove gum tissue and correct the appearance of the smile.
- Gum disease treatment: Preventative laser dentistry can help you avoid the need for gum surgery later on. Lasers can sterilize deep periodontal pockets to eliminate bacteria that can cause gum disease. Lasers can also remove gum inflammation associated with gingivitis and periodontitis.
- Dental crown lengthening: You may require crown lengthening before getting a dental crown or implant. This procedure reshapes the underlying bone and gum tissue and exposes healthy tooth structure.
- Removal of soft tissue folds: Soft tissue folds can result from poorly-fitting dentures. Lasers provide a less painful option for removing these folds without needing stitches.
- Frenulum treatment: Laser frenectomy can remove gaps between the teeth and fix gum recession.
Hard Tissue Procedures
Lasers can also be used in hard tissue procedures, such as:
- Root canals: Laser root canal therapy uses the laser to access the root canal, remove the infected tissue, clean and shape the canal, and fill it.
- Tooth decay (cavity) treatment: Dental lasers can remove decay-causing bacteria and small cavities in teeth without needing a traditional drill. (Lasers cannot be used for filling cavities that exist in between teeth or filling large cavities.)
- Hypersensitivity treatment: Cavities and thin enamel can cause tooth sensitivity. Lasers can treat the sensitivity by sealing tubules on your tooth’s root.
Other Laser-Friendly Procedures
Those lists don’t encompass all of the amazing things dental lasers can do! Lasers can also be used in other treatments, such as:
- Canker sore pain relief
- Reducing jaw pain from TMJ (temporomandibular joint dysfunction)
- Regenerating damaged nerves, blood vessels, and scars
- Removing benign tumors in the mouth
- Removing extra throat tissue that causes obstructive sleep apnea
- Teeth whitening
- Exposing wisdom teeth before removal
Benefits of Laser Dentistry
There are numerous benefits of laser dentistry, which is why so many patients are utilizing it. The technology has advanced tremendously over the 30+ years that laser dentistry has existed. Some of the most notable benefits include:
- ✅ Far less painful and minimally invasive.
- ✅ Stitches are rarely necessary.
- ✅ Needles and drills aren’t necessary.
- ✅ Faster healing time for many patients.
- ✅ Less blood loss thanks to improved blood clotting.
- ✅ Less damage to the gums, teeth, and other tissue.
- ✅ Reduced risk of bacterial infections.
- ✅ Local anesthesia is not necessary for some procedures.
- ✅ Overall reduced dental anxiety.
Pain-Free Twin Cities Laser Dentistry
At Wayzata Dental, we’re proud to be the only laser dentistry office in the Minneapolis area. We use the Solea laser, the first FDA-approved laser for hard and soft tissue. Our #1 focus is providing comfortable and affordable dental care to every single patient.
We accept many types of insurance to keep costs as low as possible. We look forward to helping you say goodbye to dental anxiety with laser dentistry treatment.
Contact us today to learn more and get started!
