BENGALURU: The state government inaugurated an exemplary laser research lab, a one of its kind in South India, at Government Dental College in Bengaluru. Doctors at the lab claim that the dental treatment using laser is going to be painless, faster and cheaper. The lab instituted by the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences was inaugurated by Health Minister DR K Sudhakar on Wednesday.
Dr Kiran told TNIE, “Using lasers is a young science in dentistry. Private clinics have been using it, but it is for the first time, especially in South India, that a government facility has done it here.” From simple drilling of the tooth to prepare the cavity, root canal treatment, tongue tie surgery, aesthetic surgical procedures, minor surgical procedures, pedodontics of gum infections and even regeneration of nerves can be done using the laser.
The laser treatment in this lab has already been tried and tested. “We had one patient this morning too. The treatment is not just less painful, but most complicated surgeries can be done in five minutes,” he said. A child as young as 21 days can be operated using this treatment.
Also, pain management is easy. The cost in private hospitals for some of the surgeries, like tongue tie in children— where the tongue is tied to the floor of the mouth and during a procedure, would be anywhere between Rs 50,000 and Rs 1 lakh and also needs admission. But with laser surgery, it can be done at almost one-fourth of the cost and in five minutes.
At this lab, the cost of laser treatment for patients below the poverty line will be lower, as compared to others. At private hospitals, charges for basic treatment range between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000, but here it is Rs 500. Dr Sudhakar plans to get dental health officers from rural areas to get trained here.