title: Safety of laser use under the dental microscope.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the safety of laser use under the dental microscope. Nd:YAG, Er:YAG and diode lasers were used. The end of the tips was positioned at a distance of 5 cm from the objective lens of a dental microscope. Each eye protector was made into a flat disc, which was fixed on the lens of the microscope. The filters were placed in front of the objective lens or behind the eye lens. Transmitted energy through the microscope with or without the filters was measured. No transmitted laser energy was detected when using matched eye protectors. Mismatched eye protectors were not effective for shutting out laser energy, especially for Nd:YAG and diode lasers. None or very little laser energy was detected through the microscope even without any laser filter. Matched filters shut out all laser energy irrespective of their positions.
authors.affiliation: Pulp Biology and Endodontics, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan. h.saegusa.endo@tmd.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hidetoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saegusa
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Tomoo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Anjo
authors.forename: Arata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ebihara
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suda
mesh_terms: D004869:Equipment Safety; D005135:Eye Protective Devices; D005374:Filtration / Q000295:instrumentation; D054023:Lasers, Semiconductor; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State; D008853:Microscopy / Q000295:instrumentation; D012390:Root Canal Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation*