The effectiveness of CO2 laser in dental surgery--a local experience.

The CO2 laser was introduced in Singapore in 1985 for dental surgery. It delivered a novel and brilliant adjunct for management of orofacial lesions and conditions. Tissue destruction is precise, immediate and quite bloodless. Oedema is not remarkable and healing produces minimal scarring. For small mucosal lesions, a power of 5 to 10 watts is sufficient. It is particularly useful for broad-based lesions and white lesions in the oral cavity. For major oral surgery, a power of 20 watts would be adequate for surgical excision. It reduces the invasiveness and trauma of surgery and lowers post-operative complications. The effects on dental hard tissues provide an exciting area for development and research and its uses here are gaining acceptance.