title: Use of the carbon dioxide laser to locate small sialoliths.
abstract: Six cases of small salivary duct sialoliths were treated using the carbon dioxide laser as a surgical dissector. When the laser beam encountered the small sialolith (3 mm or less), a light-scattering effect (flash or burst) was observed, thus enabling an almost immediate localization of the stone in the salivary duct or in the surrounding tissue. Stone extirpation is more rapid, with less surgical trauma, using this technique.
authors.affiliation: Division of Dentistry and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Maccabi Medical Care and Health Fund, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barak
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mintz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012465:Salivary Duct Calculi / Q000601:surgery*; D013364:Submandibular Gland Diseases / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide