One Visit Providing Desirable Smile by Laser Application

Introduction: Providing desirable smile is one of the main concerns in cosmetic dentistry. Hyperpigmentation is one of the esthetic concerns especially in gummy smile patients. Lasers with different wavelength are used for oral surgery including Carbon Dioxide Laser (CO2), Neodymium-Doped Yttrium Aluminium Garnet (Nd:YAG), Erbium family and diode laser. In this case, all esthetic procedures including gingival depigmentation, caries detection and removal were done by laser technology in one session.Case study: A 40- year-old male with a chief complaint of black gingiva in upper jaw was referred. The right side of maxillary was anesthetized and depigmentation was done by Erbium, Chromium doped Yttrium Scandium Gallium Garnet (Er-Cr: YSGG) laser. Due to scores obtained from Diagnodent which indicated caries in dentin, the cavities were prepared by Er-Cr:YSGG laser. The cavities were restored by composite resin. The patient was advised to keep oral hygiene instructions and use mouthwash.Results: The patient reported no pain after surgery and did not use any systemic antibiotic. After 4 weeks, complete healing was observed.Conclusion: Considering acceptable clinical outcome, Er-Cr: YSGG laser can be considered as an effective method for combination of soft and hard tissue treatment

Oral Mucositis Prevention and Management by Therapeutic Laser in Head and Neck Cancers

Introduction: Oral mucositis is considered a severe complication in cancer patients receiving radiotherapy or chemotherapy for head and neck cancer. The aim of this review study was to assess the effect of low level laser therapy for prevention and management of oral mucositis in cancer patients.Methods: The electronic databases searched included Pubmed, ISI Web of Knowledge and Google scholar with keywords as “oral mucositis”, “low level laser therapy” from 2000 to 2013.Results: The results of most studies showed that photobiomodulation (PBM) reduced the severity of mucositis. Also, it can delay the appearance of severe mucositis.Conclusion: Low level laser therapy is a safe approach for management and prevention of oral mucositis

The Esthetic Crown Lengthening by Er;Cr:YSGG laser: A Case Series

Introduction: Laser technology as a new modality in dentistry has gained special attention. Among different types of lasers, erbium lasers have gained special attention for management of oral soft and hard tissue simultaneously. This study presents series of cases of crown lengthening (CL) and restorations accomplished by erbium, chromium: yttrium-scandium-gallium-garnet (Er,Cr:YSGG).Case Reports: Seven patients were selected for this study. After complete oral examination and diagnosis, the treatment plan of each patient was designed. All cases needed esthetic CL. In some cases, frenum revision and class V cavity preparation was done by Er;Cr:YSGG laser. All patients treated with Er;Cr:YSGG laser producing a wavelength of 2780 nm (Biolase, Irvine, California, USA); Tip T4, 400 μm Diameter for soft tissue management and Tip G6, 6 mm long, 600 μm diameter for hard tissue management.Results: All patients reflected acceptable results based on clinical evaluation and patients’ declaration of post-surgical status.Conclusion: Using Er;Cr:YSGG laser in class v cavity preparation and flapless CL seemed to be effective and beneficial

Effect of Hand, Ultrasonic Scaler and Erbium-Doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Er: YAG) Laser on the Morphology of Root Surfaces with Periodontitis: a Comparative in Vitro Scanning Electron Microscopy Study

INTRODUCTION: The main purpose of the present study was to describe the ultra structural changes which happened after treatment of the root surfaces with ultrasonic and hand devices followed by Erbium-Doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Er:YAG) laser irradiation.METHODS: Sixty single-rooted maxillary and mandibular teeth which had been extracted due to periodontal problems were collected. Crown and apical parts of the root were cut off using a diamond bur. The specimens were mounted on an acrylic resin in order to make a plain surface of the root accessible. The samples were assigned as following: group1: samples were root planed using conventional hand curette, group2: were prepared by ultrasonic device, group3: roots after scaling by hand instrumentation were treated by Er:YAG laser with 50 mJ/pulse and frequency of 10 Hz, group4: roots were prepared by ultrasonic scaler and consequently were treated by laser. Furthermore, the teeth were dried, sputter-coated with gold, and monitored with scanning electron microscope (SEM).RESULTS: Photomicrographs from ten samples of root surfaces which were taken at magnifications up to 500X revealed that there were not any severe morphologic changes, such as melting and charring, in any group. However, the samples treated by laser irradiation showed more irregularities and distortions.CONCLUSION: Er:YAG laser setting at 50mj/pulse, as an adjunctive to traditional scaling and root planning, did not induce severe damages to root surfaces, although root surface irregularities were more pronounced in laser treated groups compare to hand instruments

Antibacterial Effect of Diode Laser in Pulpectomy of Primary Teeth

Introduction: Laser irradiation has been suggested as an adjunct to traditional methods of canal preparation but few studies are available on the antibacterial effect of diode laser in pulpectomy of primary teeth. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the antibacterial effect of diode laser in pulpectomy of primary teeth, in addition to define the optimal and harmless diode lasing conditions in the root canal.Methods: A total of 125 single rooted primary teeth were selected. After traditional canal cleaning, they were divided in 2 groups. Sixty-five specimens after culturing of Enterococcus faecalis into the canals, were divided in 3 groups: (1) traditional canal cleaning with 0.5% NaOCl irrigation, (2) method of group 1+ 1.5 W diode laser (980 nm, pulse), (3) without treatment (5 specimens). Then the specimens were cultured and after colony counting under light microscope, were statistically analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests. For 60 specimens, temperature rise of apical and cervical parts of the external root surface were measured using 2 thermocouple type K, when radiating a 1.5 W diode laser into the canal.Results: In the first experiment, the diode laser group showed tmost reduction in bacterial count. And in the second experiment, the mean temperature rise of external root surface was less than the threshold of periodontal ligament (PDL) damage.Conclusion: Diode laser with a power output of 1.5 W, is effective in reduction of E. faecalis bacterial count without damaging periodontal structures

The Effects of Photobiomodulation Therapy on Post-Surgical Pain

Introduction: One of the major complains after surgery is pain. Recent advances in the prevention and reduction of postoperative pain have provided several modalities. One of them is the use of laser irradiation on the surgical area.Objectives: To evaluate the effects of low level laser therapy (LLLT) on pain and side effects after surgery.Methods: In this research, databases such as: PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Springer and Cochrane were used and the words of laser therapy, photobiomodulation, therapeutic laser, low level laser therapy, surgery and pain were searched. Articles, including systematic reviews, original articles, case series, and clinical intervention studies related to these words, were studied. The language of all articles was English and consists of papers from 2009 until 2017.Results: A total of 370 papers were studied and 10 articles that met inclusion criteria were selected for this review. Few of these articles were followed up. Surgery included a wide range of surgeries including mastectomy, breast augment post-fracture, episiotomy, tonsillectomy and hernia. The methodological quality score on the PEDro scale was between 5 and 11. 8 trials reported positive effects and 2 trials reported negative effects. In order to study clinical effect size of laser therapy after surgery, only 4 papers met entry criteria and the mean effect sizes were 0.13 to 2.77. Accordingly, the best treatment protocol included a red laser dose of 4 J/cm2 for the post-operative pain of tonsillectomy, which was irradiated through the infra mandibular angle on the tonsils.Conclusion: LLLT may be an appropriate modality for reducing pain after surgery, nevertheless the effect size of this modality is variable. Therefore, further research based on proper protocols for these patients and follow-up of therapeutic course should be designed and implemented

Clinical applications of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy in dentistry

Given the emergence of resistant bacterial strains and novel microorganisms that globally threaten human life, moving toward new treatment modalities for microbial infections has become a priority more than ever. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) has been introduced as a promising and non-invasive local and adjuvant treatment in several oral infectious diseases. Its efficacy for elimination of bacterial, fungal, and viral infections and key pathogens such as Streptococcus mutans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Candida albicans, and Enterococcus faecalis have been investigated by many invitro and clinical studies. Researchers have also investigated methods of increasing the efficacy of such treatment modalities by amazing developments in the production of natural, nano based, and targeted photosensitizers. As clinical studies have an important role in paving the way towards evidence-based applications in oral infection treatment by this method, the current review aimed to provide an overall view of potential clinical applications in this field and summarize the data of available randomized controlled clinical studies conducted on the applications of aPDT in dentistry and investigate its future horizons in the dental practice. Four databases including PubMed (Medline), Web of Science, Scopus and Embase were searched up to September 2022 to retrieve related clinical studies. There are several clinical studies reporting aPDT as an effective adjunctive treatment modality capable of reducing pathogenic bacterial loads in periodontal and peri-implant, and persistent endodontic infections. Clinical evidence also reveals a therapeutic potential for aPDT in prevention and reduction of cariogenic organisms and treatment of infections with fungal or viral origins, however, the number of randomized clinical studies in these groups are much less. Altogether, various photosensitizers have been used and it is still not possible to recommend specific irradiation parameters due to heterogenicity among studies. Reaching effective clinical protocols and parameters of this treatment is difficult and requires further high quality randomized controlled trials focusing on specific PS and irradiation parameters that have shown to have clinical efficacy and are able to reduce pathogenic bacterial loads with sufficient follow-up periods

Defocused Irradiation Mode of Diode Laser for Conservative Treatment of Oral Hemangioma

Vascular lesions rise from abnormalities in blood vessels or endothelial proliferation. Capillary hemangiomas are formed by small capillaries surrounded by a layer of endothelial cells in a connective tissue stroma. Various treatments are used for these conditions like excisional surgery, sclerotherapy, and recently laser irradiation. In this case study, we report successful treatment of intraoral capillary hemangioma by gallium/aluminum/arsenide (GaAlAs) laser. A 29 year old woman with a red lesion on the upper side of the right maxillary premolar was referred to private dental office. The Diode laser with wavelength of 810 nm was selected for treatment of the lesion in defocused mode by output power of 4 W in continuous mode. No bleeding was observed during surgery which provided better vision for surgeon and resulted in a minimally invasive procedure. According to results, Diode laser can be considered as a conservative modality in treatment of oral capillary hemangioma, especially in the esthetic zone

The Combination of Laser Therapy and Metal Nanoparticles in Cancer Treatment Originated From Epithelial Tissues: A Literature Review

Several methods have been employed for cancer treatment including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Today, recent advances in medical science and development of new technologies, have led to the introduction of new methods such as hormone therapy, Photodynamic therapy (PDT), treatments using nanoparticles and eventually combinations of lasers and nanoparticles. The unique features of LASERs such as photo-thermal properties and the particular characteristics of nanoparticles, given their extremely small size, may provide an interesting combined therapeutic effect. The purpose of this study was to review the simultaneous application of lasers and metal nanoparticles for the treatment of cancers with epithelial origin. A comprehensive search in electronic sources including PubMed, Google Scholar and Science Direct was carried out between 2000 and 2013. Among the initial 400 articles, 250 articles applied nanoparticles and lasers in combination, in which more than 50 articles covered the treatment of cancer with epithelial origin. In the future, the combination of laser and nanoparticles may be used as a new or an alternative method for cancer therapy or diagnosis. Obviously, to exclude the effect of laser’s wavelength and nanoparticle’s properties more animal studies and clinical trials are required as a lack of perfect studies