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Lasers in dentistry are basically of2 main types.
A: Hard tissue lasers
B: Soft tissue lasers
Both of them have various applications, basically a laser is meant to replace a scalpel, it can be used for soft tissue incisions during oral surgery and periodontal surgery. Soft tissue lasers are also used for gingivectomy and other periodontal surgical procedures.
Depending on the wavelength of light emitted, lasers in dentistry have different applications. For example, Er:YAG lasers or Er:YSSG lasers are mostly used for hard tissue cutting, instead of burs. The advantage of this is precision.
These lasers have also been used for cavity preparations.
Soft tissue lasers such as carbon dioxide laser/ diode lasers/Argon lasers have no/minmal effect on the hard tissues hence these are used for soft tissue manipulation. for example the diode laser can be used for gingival depigmentation, gingivectomy, abscess drainage, flap surgery incisions. etc
Some lasers are more advantageous as compared to the others in particular indications eg for disinfection of implants in cases of periimplantitis, certain lasers cannot be used as they damage the titanium coating of the implant.
Some lasers have an ability to produce a thick coagulum thus this aids in hemostasis.
Some lasers have the ability to seal the dentinal tubules, hence they are used for treatment of dentinal sensitivity, this is called as LLT(low level laser therapy)
Lasers have also been used as adjunctive to scaling and root planing for the treatment of periodontal disease.
