Is laser or conventional crown lengthening better? And why?

This is really something that comes down to the personal preference and skill level of the dentist performing the crown lengthening.   Here's how they compare:Using a laser for crown lengthening -  very little blood; less painful, so usually doesn't require a shot first; lasers are less familiar to some dentists because they haven't been around nearly as many years as a scalpel, so some dentists will give you a less than optimal outcome using a laser.Scalpel for crown lengthening - more bloody than laser; may require a shot first; some dentists are much better artists, using a scalpel. Good luck and I hope this helps. Follow me if you have more questions.Sarah Thompson, DMDReal Self 100

Great question! It's important to understand that dental lasers are basically new tools that are used to accomplish a wide variety of common dental procedures. The exciting aspect of dental lasers are the new minimally invasive techniques that are now possible. There are very specific parameters that must be right to use these minimally invasive techniques and not every patient is a candidate. The end result of either method depends on the knowledge, experience, and clinical expertise of the dentist doing the procedure.Hard-tissue lasers offer precision, do not cause the same histamine release by the body when tissue is removed, and provides faster healing and dramatically reduce post-operative discomfort.If I needed crown lengthening I would 100% prefer that a hard tissue laser be used by a skilled dentist that had lots of experience doing that procedure. I use lasers everyday for crown lengthening, gum sculpting, and decay removal so I see first hand what an amazing tool it is and all the advantages it offers. FYI, the same laser that can re-contour the bone for crown lengthening can also be used during root canal procedures and used to kill bacteria and improve the final results. Best of luck with your procedure!