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ePaper created 2017-10-26, 15:28:59 | version 1.38.0
| overview © italianestro/Shutterstock.com Laser-supported restorative dentistry Authors: Prof. Dr Kosmas Tolidis & Dr Dimitris Strakas, Greece Since the advent of laser in dentistry, one of the most benefi ted disciplines alongside oral surgery is restorative dentistry. A plethora of existing wavelengths is providing excellent, but most signifi cantly, essential service in a unique way. Starting from the visible light spectrum (445 nm) going to red (660 to 670 nm), near-infrared (810, 940, 980, 1,064 nm) up to the mid-infrared spectrum (2,780 to 2,940 nm), a variety of clinical situations can be dealt successfully, either with the unique use of laser or a combination of conventional approaches with laser. Numerous devices have been developed, either on a single wavelength or more versatile multiple diode laser devices with two or even three different wavelengths adding ease of use to clinical applications. The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of laser-supported restorative dentistry, going through the available wavelengths and their different applications and capabilities by using exemplary clin- ical cases. The “blue laser” Recently, Dentsply Sirona introduced the SiroLaser Blue, a three wavelength device (445, 660, 970 nm) aiming to respond to a variety of clinical conditions requiring laser approach. As it is well known from the absorption chart (Fig. 1), 445 nm is being highly absorbed by melanin and haemoglobin establishing this device as a very useful tool for surgery and haemostasis. In the fi eld of restorative/operative dentistry, mi- nor surgeries in the form of gingival contouring and especially haemostasis are necessary, but a signifi - cant use, as it appears from early research data, can also be light curing and energy provision to restor- ative materials. Composite resins and glass ionomers can be light cured by the SiroLaser Blue device in a very effi cient way. More in particular, conventional glass ionomer can benefi t from the energy provided by the laser and in- crease signifi cantly their surface microhardness and 06 laser 3 2017