Lasers and soft tissue: periodontal therapy

doi:doi:10.1038/bdj.2007.224

British Dental Journal 202, 309 - 315 (2007) Published online: 24 March 2007 |
doi:10.1038/bdj.2007.224

Subject Categories: Lasers | Periodontology

Lasers and soft tissue: periodontal therapy

S. Parker¹

Laser use in periodontology includes the removal of intra-pocket diseased epithelium, bacterial and calculus accumulation and in the surgical correction of infra- and intra-bony pocketing.
Laser use should be adjunctive to good periodontal therapy and not a replacement.
Research into laser use in periodontology has been mixed. This may be due to the number of associated clinical parameters involved in in vivo investigations.
All currently available laser wavelengths have been claimed to be effective in some or all aspects of the treatment of periodontal conditions. In addition, newer or experimental wavelengths may expand therapeutic use.
Laser power levels must be kept to a minimum to avoid unwanted damage.

Lasers in dentistry

Introduction, history of lasers and laser light production
Laser-tissue interaction
Low-level laser use in dentistry
Lasers and soft tissue: 'loose' soft tissue surgery
Lasers and soft tissue: 'fixed' soft tissue surgery
Lasers and soft tissue: periodontal therapy
Surgical laser use in implantology and endodontics
Surgical lasers and hard dental tissue
Laser regulation and safety in general dental practice

Periodontology exists as a major specialty within clinical dentistry that has developed through the extensive research carried out into all parameters pertaining to a 'best practice' approach. With the advent of surgical lasers into clinical dentistry, considerable interest has been shown in the possible benefits that might be derived from the adjunctive effects of bacterial control and haemostasis that are associated with laser use. Despite the number of publications on the subject, there is still controversy over the use of lasers in periodontology. The following paper will outline the procedures that have been advocated for laser use and provide a review of the literature.

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