At the beginning of the 1990s, the first dental laser (dentist laser) came onto the market. The first generation was intended only for the treatment of soft tissues and was approved by the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Approval for use on hard tissues such as tooth or bone was granted in 1996.

The advantages of a dental laser are a lower likelihood of complications after surgery, as well as a reduced need for anesthetics. Due to the vaporization of the cells, there is no thermal trauma, and the risks of alternative electrosurgical procedures (Elektromtom) are thereby avoided.

The healing phase is radically shortened and less painful, the blood vessels are sealed and bleeding is minimized. The majority of the treatment can be performed microinvasively.

Nd:YAG laser

Nd:YAG lasers are used for soft tissue operations in the oral cavity such as gingivectomy (surgical removal of gum tissue), removal of tartar and plaque, LANAP, lip-tie removal, biopsy, and promotion of blood clotting at graft donor sites.

The wavelength of the Nd:YAG laser is partially absorbed by pigments in the tissue such as hemoglobin and melanin. These dental lasers are often used for wound debridement and for disinfecting periodontal pockets. Their blood-clotting-promoting ability allows treated pockets to be sealed. With a fiber-optic transmitter, root canals can be sterilized, which drastically increases the success rate of root canal treatments.

Holmium laser

The Holmium laser is also suitable for soft tissue treatment, particularly for frenectomy (lip-tie removal) and tissue management.

Erbium-Waterlase

The Biolase Waterlase is used for the treatment of hard tissue, e.g., for root tip resections, for external sinus lifts (procedures for jaw augmentation), for bone shaping, and for the preparation of tooth cavities. In addition, we can use the laser for almost all soft tissue treatments.

Helium-neon laser

The helium-neon laser (He-Ne laser) is used for pain relief after surgery and is a very good tool against dentin sensitivity.

How does a dental laser work?

The word laser comes from English and stands for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation and means light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. A bundled light energy emission is focused on a very small area. In dental lasers, this energy is pulsed.

Mode of action

When the laser energy hits the cells, they are pulverized or vaporized. The pulse intervals are so short that the cells cannot absorb oxygen, which would be necessary for combustion processes. Therefore, they do not burn, but rather dissipate – thus, no thermal damage can occur.

Advantages of the dental laser

• less pain
• better and faster healing
• significantly reduced risk of reinfection
• no rotating instruments (so no typical "dentist noise"), no scalpel
• contact-free treatment concept, as there is always a distance of about two millimeters to the treated object

Laser application is generally somewhat more expensive than conventional treatments, but the success rates and pain reduction are definitely higher.