Pulsed laser beam effects on gingiva
The present investigation is a microscopic evaluation of the effectiveness of the pulsed Nd:YAG laser in the removal of crevicular pocket-lining epithelium in human periodontal pockets and the immediate effects of lar radiation on subjacent connective tissue. Twenty-four specimens from six patients were studied microscopically following the application of a pulsed Nd:YAG laser contact probe. Power settings of 1.25 and 1.75 watts and a frequency of 20 Hz were used. Treatment time varied from 2 to 3 minutes. Most sections (83%) exhibited complete removal of epithelium except for traces of viable basal cell remnants at the coronal sulcular margin (17%).The authors concluded that the Nd:YAG laser can effectively remove pocket-lining epithelium without damage to the underlying connective tissue at the light microscopic level. [E.L.H.]
Gold, S.I., and M.A.Vilardi, J Clin Periodont, 21:391, 1994