Dental laser research: selective ablation of caries, calculus, and microbial plaque: from the idea to the first in vivo investigation.

One of the current dental laser research tracks is selective ablation, which is the removal of disease while not harming adjacent healthy structures. This article describes the scientific path from the first basic laboratory study of the absorption characteristics of caries to selective ablation of bacteria, microbial plaque, and calculus with a blue laser and the first in vivo safety studies in dogs. This article is an example of a typical research path for future studies of the uses of lasers in dentistry.