The word laser – Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation – is an abbreviation from the English language, which translated means “light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation”. Lasers have been used successfully in medicine since the early sixties.
A distinction is made between different types of lasers:
- Solid-state laser
- Gas laser
- Liquid laser
The classification of solid, gas and liquid refers to the material used in the lasers.
Depending on the power level, there is a division into soft lasers, which are used for biostimulation, medium and high power lasers. In dentistry, lasers are successfully used in a wide variety of fields.
Lasers in oral surgery (dental surgery)
A laser has some characteristics that are of great importance in surgery. An incision made with a laser bleeds much less and is sterile at the same time, since the laser always has a bactericidal (germicidal) effect as well. Small wounds, such as those caused by cutting ligaments, can heal without being sutured . Often, anesthesia (anesthetic) is even unnecessary for small treatments.
Furthermore, significantly fewer instruments are needed because the laser can simultaneously cut, ablate tissue and stop bleeding by coagulation.
Postoperatively, there is significantly less pain than after conventionally performed minor surgical procedures, which is a great advantage for the patient.
Scarring is reduced with minor surgery compared with conventional techniques.
Indications (areas of application)
Some surgical procedures in which the laser is used include the following:
- Removal of fibromas (benign growths of connective tissue).
- Frenectomy (lip frenulum removal).
- Gingivectomy (removal of a portion of the gingiva to flatten gingival pockets or pseudo-pockets, or to correct gingival hyperplasia)
- Gingivoplasty (surgical shaping from the gums to restore their natural shape).
- Operculectomy (removal of the operculum).
- Gum corrections
- Implant surgery or implant uncovery
- Closure of wounds
- Removal of leukoplakia – whitish changes in the oral mucosa (precancerous/possible precursor of cancer).
Not only in the soft tissue, but also in the area of the bone is worked by laser. The Er:YAG laser is used, among other things, to gently remove bone, for example, in the context of the following oral surgery:
- Root apex resection (removal (resection) of a root apex (apex) of the tooth).
- Removal of displaced or impacted teeth (impacted refers to a tooth that has not yet appeared in the oral cavity at its normal time of eruption)
- Removal of root remnants
- Smoothing sharp bone edges
- Ablation of exostoses (demarcated addition of compact bone substance (compacta) with outward growth).
- Removal of bone block grafts
Since laser surgery requires a thorough knowledge of the laser and its action and application in the various oral tissues, this procedure is performed only by dentists and oral surgeons specially trained for this purpose.
Benefits
Nowadays, surgeries can be successfully performed with the help of lasers. In this process, the surgical field is always sterile and significantly less bleeding occurs. Postoperative pain is reduced. Thus, surgery using lasers is a gentle treatment for your entire body.
