Dental laser

A dental laser is a type of laser designed specifically for use in oral surgery or dentistry.

In the United States, the use of lasers on the gums was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration in the early 1990s, and use on hard tissue like teeth or the bone of the mandible gained approval in 1996.[1] Several variants of dental lasers are in use with different wavelengths and these mean they are better suited for different applications.

Soft tissue lasers

Diode lasers in the 810–900 nm range are well absorbed by red colored tissues such as the gingivae increasingly being used in place of electrosurgery and standard surgery for soft tissue applications such as tissue contouring and gingivectomy. ND:YAG lasers are used for soft tissue surgeries in the oral cavity, such as gingivectomy, periodontal sulcular debridement, LANAP, frenectomy, biopsy, and coagulation of graft donor sites. The Nd:YAG laser wavelength is absorbed by pigment in the tissue.[3] These lasers are often used for debridement and disinfection of periodontal pockets. Their ability to form fibrin allows them to seal treated pockets.

Soft and hard tissue lasers

Erbium lasers are both hard and soft tissue capable.[4] They can be used for a host of dental procedures, and allow for more procedures to be done without local anesthesia. Erbium lasers can be used for hard tissue procedures like bone cutting and create minimal thermal and mechanical trauma to adjacent tissues. These procedures show an excellent healing response. Soft tissue applications with erbium lasers have rapid healing times with minimal postoperative pain.

Use of the dental laser remains limited, with cost and effectiveness being the primary barriers. The cost of a dental laser ranges from $4,000 to $50,000, where a pneumatic dental drill costs between $200 and $500. The lasers are also incapable of performing some routine dental operations.[5]

Dental lasers are not without their benefits, though, as the use of a laser can decrease morbidity after surgery, and reduces the need for anesthetics. Because of the cauterization of tissue there will be little bleeding following soft tissue procedures, and some of the risks of alternative electrosurgery procedures are avoided.

History

C. Kumar N. Patel made the first CO2 laser in 1964, in the same year the Nd:YAG Laser was invented at Bell Labs.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lewis, Ph.D., Ricki (January 1995). "Lasers in Dentistry". FDA Consumer Magazine. Archived from the original on 2007-07-13. Retrieved 2007-07-21.
  2. ↑ CO2 Laser: Evidence based applications in dentistry
  3. ↑ dentalcare.com (2012), June 2012 Lasers in Dentistry: Minimally Invasive Instruments for the Modern Practice Check |url= value (help) (PDF), dentalcare.com Continuing Education
  4. ↑ Technology 4 Medicine (2014), January 2014 Erbium and Nd:YAG Lasers Check |url= value (help), Laser Dental Boynton
  5. ↑ Gordon, Jerry. "How Cavities and Fillings Work". HowStuffWorks.com. Retrieved 2007-07-21.
  6. ↑ A brief history of lasers


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