Common laser types used in dentistry

LASERS IN DENTISTRY:

Introduction:

Laser is the acronym of ‘Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation’. The first laser (ruby laser) was invented in 1960. Since then laser became one of the new effective technology in dental practice. It was first introduced as an alternative to the normal halogen curing light but now it has become the important instrument in many dental applications. This paper gives an insight on laser in dentistry.

HISTORICAL REVIEW:

Past ten years was a perfect example for clinical application of lasers in dental practice and an international attention has been given by the organizations to this technology. Laser was considered as a complicated technology with limited use in clinical dentistry, but now there is an increasing awareness of the use of lasers in the modern dental practice, where they are used as an alternative to already existing approaches. Its advancement in the field of dentistry is playing a major role in patient care and wellbeing.

Theodore Maiman invented the first synthetic ruby laser in 1960. Ruby lasers need too much energy that will expose the pulp to thermal effects and cause collateral damage to adjacent hard and soft tissue due to scattered radiation. At Bell Telephone Laboratories, Kumar N Patel invented carbon dioxide laser in 1964 which was the first one that can be applied on hard tissue and soft tissue. Later in 1965 Goldman et al. exposed a vital tooth for the first time to laser energy, where there was no experience of pain and had only minor, superficial damage to the crown. In 1961 Weichman & Johnson, tried in vitro to seal the apical foramen using high power infrared (CO 2) laser. The effect of Er:YAG laser on dental hard tissues was described by Hibst and Paghdiwala, 1988. But for the use of cavity preparation laser obtained its approval from USFDA in 1997. First company to release Er:YAG lasers into the market was KaVo (Germany) in 1992. Second one to develop and release erbium laser hard tissue wavelength (Er:YSGG, 2.78 µm) was Biolase (USA). The emission wavelength of erbium family laser coincide exactly with absorption peak of water, due to which biological tissues, enamel and dentin experience strong absorption. That is the reason why these lasers are most popular soft and hard tissue lasers today.

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