Laser therapy and oral white soft tissue lesions

Abstract

Soft tissue lasers are becoming more popular among the dentists, where oral and maxillofacial surgeons started using them in many procedures for example incision, excision, and coagulation of intra-oral soft tissue. Mostly its used in biopsy procedures. Three types of lasers dentists using nowadays such as diode laser, CO2 laser and ND:YAG laser.CO2 laser is the first laser used in dentistry and of course when laser entered the dentistry field it made it enter to another level of knowledge for treatment procedures in laser surgeries due to its correct tissue incision, coagulation and postoperative benefits. Diode laser which is stetted on (810 nm and 3 W in a pulse mode) has good results in removing oral lesions its very popular for its small size where its used in minor lesions by excision or vaporization procedures. It has low scar formation, reduction of bleeding and inflammation. But in addition to all these advantages no body is looking to the disadvantages such as more production of divergent laser beam and critical heating problems. The most commonly used is the ND:YAG laser which is used for elimination of the injured tissues. It has smaller thermal damage zones and although it can show in some cases thermal damage but it is distinguished from the safest procedures for biopsy with correct histological evaluation leading to better management. The Nd:YAG laser has a number of disadvantages where It has the greatest depth of penetration which might cause the tissues under the surface be exposed to laser energy. This will lead to the risk of unwanted collateral damage, especially in the underlying bone or the dental pulp as well as the associated postoperative morbidity. Laser have some disadvantages that are related to the age where it might affect the bone plates in children in the growing phase and of course its a big risk for the fetus in the mother’s uterus that is in target for being affected. It is not prescribed in patients with pacemakers, or used with precaution. Laser should not be used in the uterus region in pregnant women. Shouldn’t be used in epileptic patients or with frequency