Laser-Assisted Operculectomy.
The 10,600-nm CO2 laser is both an efficient and spatially precise photo-thermal ablation device and excellent coagulator because of the close match between its coagulation depth and the diameters of oral soft-tissue capillaries. The ablation of hyperplastic oral soft tissue with the flexible fiber waveguide 10,600-nm CO2 laser is a minimally invasive and typically suture-free surgical modality that ensures dependable treatment. It is, in many respects, superior to most of the alternative treatment options. Its excellent hemostatic abilities and the minimal damage to adjacent healthy tissues make the CO2 laser a perfect surgical tool for treating oral soft-tissue lesions, including the inflamed operculum.
Director of Laser Dentistry, Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health, Scottsdale, AZ.
Robert
R
Levine
Peter
P
Vitruk
D005890:Gingivectomy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006488:Hemostasis, Surgical; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D054020:Lasers, Gas; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures