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n While dental lasers have been commercially available for several decades and their popularity among patients is unparalleled, the dental profession has taken to this treat- ment modality rather slowly—al- though lasers have been thoroughly documented in the dental literature. The laser is an exciting technology, widely used in medicine, kind to tissue, and excellent for healing. So why have lasers not been more widely embraced by the practising dentist? There is a widely held percep- tion in the profession that somehow thedentallaserisnotuseful,toocom- plicated, and too expensive. These concerns changed forever with the arrival of the diode laser on the den- tal market. There is now a conver- gence of documented scientific evi- dence,easeofuseandgreaterafford- ability that makes the diode laser essential for every dental practice. Diode lasers: The science in brief LASER is an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emis- sion of radiation. Lasers are com- monly named for the substance that is stimulated to produce the coher- ent light beam. In the diode laser, this substance is a semiconductor (a class of materials that is the founda- tionofmodernelectronics,including computers, telephones and radios). This innovative technology has pro- duced a laser that is compact and far lower in cost than earlier versions. Much of the research on lasers has focused on the 810 nm diode laser. This wavelength is ideally suited to soft-tissue procedures, since it is highly absorbed by haemo- globin and melanin. This gives the diode laser the ability to precisely cut, coagulate, ablate or vaporise the target soft tissue with less trauma, improved post-operative healing and a faster recovery time. Given its in- credible ease of use and versatility intreatingsofttissue,thediodelaser is the soft-tissue handpiece in the dentist’s armamentarium. The dentist can use the diode lasersoft-tissuehandpiecetoremove, refine and adjust soft tissue in the same way in which the traditional dental handpiece is used on enamel and dentine. This extends the scope of practice of the general dentist to many soft-tissue procedures. TreatmentwiththePicasso810nm diode laser (AMD Lasers; Fig. 1) has been shown to have a significant long-term bactericidal effect in pe- riodontal pockets. Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, an invasive pathogen associated with the devel- opment of periodontal disease and generallyquitedifficulttoeliminate, responds well to laser treatment. Scaling and root planing outcomes are enhanced when diode laser ther- apy is added to the dental armamen- tarium. The patient is typically more comfortable during and after treat- ment, and gingival healing is faster and more stable. Diode laser: Ease of use Early adopter dentists thrive on new technologies. They enjoy the challenges that come with being the first to use a product. Most dentists, however, are not early adopters. Over the past two decades, lasers have intimidated mainstream den- tistswiththeirlargefootprint,lackof portability, high maintenance pro- file, confusion of operating tips, and complex procedural settings. Den- tists are uncertain of which tip and settings to use for each procedure, and the need for a laser when their conventionaltechniqueshaveserved them well is not clear to them. Enter the diode laser. It is com- pact and can easily be moved from one treatment room to another. Furthermore, it is self-contained, and does not have to be hooked up to water- or air-lines. It has one simple, replaceablefibre-opticoperatingtip. The units come with several presets, although the operator quickly be- comes so comfortable with the de- vice that they are rarely needed. The power and pulse settings are easily adjusted to suit the particular patient and procedure. Many dentists do not thrive on the challenges of brand new high- tech, high-stress technology. In fact, many lasers in the past promised to be user-friendly but were anything but. The 810 nm diode laser is a dif- ferent experience; after a brief in-of- fice demonstration, the dentist feels comfortable enough to use the laser handpiece to perform some simple clinical procedures. Further online training and lecture courses en- hancebothclinicalcomfortleveland competency. Diode laser: Affordability Laser technology has always come with a high price tag. Manufac- turing costs are high and cutting- science & practice14 Show Preview IDS Cologne 2013 ® www.intraoralwelding.com contact: iic2@teletu.it Tel. +39 0372 43 99 57 Mobile +39 347 234 09 83 The revolutionary technique for immediate loading Come visit us! IDS 35th International Dental Show | Cologne, 12-16.3.2013 Our booth: Hall 4.1, Aisle C-090/Aisle D-091 Th ® Come visit us! IDS 35th Int Our booth: Hall 4.1, Aisl Come visit us! w | Colal Shoernational Dent e C-090/AislOur booth: Hall 4.1, Aisl ogne, 12-16.3.2013w | Col e D-091e C-090/AislOur booth: Hall 4.1, Aisle C-090/AislOur booth: Hall 4.1, Aisl e D-091e C-090/Aisl AD 5 Dr Fay Goldstep 5 Dr George Freedman “Laser therapy expands the clinical scope of practice” The new soft-tissue handpiece in laser dentistry By Drs Fay Goldstep & George Freedman,Canada 5 Fig. 1