[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF] [CITATIONS]

The most common developmental anomaly of the tongue is ankyloglossia which is characterized by a short, thick lingual frenum resulting in limitation of tongue movement, speech problems, and feeding problems in neonates. Failure in early diagnosis of this anomaly results in social communicating and mechanical problems in an individual. If clinicians diagnose and treat this in early childhood by frenectomy, speech problems can be overcome by speech therapy, but due to ignorance of individual's parents and by clinician, sometimes this anomaly remains undetected and produces speech problems throughout the life. In spite of the treatment in an adult individual of an ankyloglossia, speech therapy rarely improves individual's speech problems. This is a case report of an ankyloglossia treatment by a diode laser in an adult.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub] [CITATIONS]

Objective: A pyogenic granuloma (PG) is a lesion similar to a reactive, inflammatory, benign tumor of the skin and mucous membrane. An oral PG develops due to pregnancy, hormonal status, poor oral hygiene, chronic irritation, and trauma. The aim of this study was to compare bleeding quantities, postoperative pain levels, and relapse rates of excisional biopsies performed either with standard surgical techniques for PGs or their removal with a laser biopsy performed with a diode laser. Materials and Methods: In this controlled, randomized, clinical study, 14 patients who were systematically healthy and with a gingival growth similar to a PG were assigned to one of two groups. In the first group, the biopsy procedures were performed with diode lasers (Epic, Biolase, Irvine, CA, USA) (810-nm wavelength, 10 W power). In the second group, the biopsies were performed with conventional surgical techniques using scalpels. The intraoperative bleeding quantities were determined in accordance with the criteria defined by the World Health Organization. The postoperative pain levels were evaluated with a visual analog scale (VAS). The patients were evaluated with regard to their relapse status, which may have occurred up to 6 months following the procedure. Results: During the operation, in the first group, the bleeding quantities were significantly lower. For the VAS values, a significant difference between the groups was not observed. In the second group, a recurrence was observed in two patients; however, in the first group, there were no recurrences. Conclusion: Compared to conventional surgical treatments, the advantages of the diode laser as an alternative treatment may include decreased blood loss during the operation and a decreased possibility of relapse.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub] [CITATIONS]

Introduction: Conventional periodontal therapy in form of scaling and root planing (SRP) has its own limitations when used in deep pockets. Various studies have reported adjunctive use of laser therapy as a promising modality to overcome limitations of SRP. Aim and Objectives of the Study: The aim of this study was to assess the adjunctive effect of 810-nm diode laser on clinical parameters and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) levels in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF). Materials and Methods: The present study was a split-mouth clinical study, which included 48 sites from patients diagnosed with moderate-to-severe chronic periodontitis. Test group consisted of 24 sites that received diode laser (810 nm, 2.5 W) therapy as an adjunct to SRP whereas control group consisted of 24 sites, which received SRP only. Gingival index (GI) was assessed clinically whereas Florida Probe was used to record bleeding on probing (BOP), pocket probing depth (PPD), and clinical attachment level (CAL) at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. GCF PGE₂levels were measured at baseline and 3 months post therapy using commercially available ELISA kit (Neogen^™). Results: Test group showed a significant reduction in GCF PGE₂levels at the end of 3 months when compared to control sites. However, the primary clinical parameters (CAL and PPD) from baseline to 3 and 6 months did not show statistically significant improvement in the test group. Conclusion: Application of diode laser resulted in a significant reduction in PGE₂levels compared to SRP alone. Thus, diode laser therapy as an adjunct to SRP appears to be a promising treatment modality to reduce or modify the host response.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub] [CITATIONS]

Background: Dentinal hypersensitivity (DH) is characterized by a nonspontaneous, an acute short- or long-lasting pain originating from exposure of the dentinal tubules or dentine to the thermal, chemical, mechanical, or osmotic stimuli, which cannot be attributed to any other dental pathology. There are a lot of treatments; one of these is lasers. Laser therapy was first introduced as a potential method for treating DH in the mid-1980s. Various types of laser used in treatment include low-power lasers He-Ne (632.5 nm), diode lasers (DLs) with various wavelengths 810, 940, and 980 nm, and medium-power lasers as Nd:YAG (1064 nm), CO₂ (10600 nm), Er:YAG (2940 nm), and Er, Cr:YSGG (2780 nm). He-Ne (632.5 nm) and DLs have analgesic effect; they can have effect alone or with combination with desensitizing agents. Aim of Study: To appraise and assess the efficiency of different techniques using DLs 810 and 980 nm alone or in combination with different desensitizing agents in the management and treatment of DH. Materials and Methods: A total of 138 articles are included; then, according to exclusion criteria, 46 articles are included; after specific exclusion criteria and evaluation of the articles, they become 35 articles. Regarding exclusion criteria as some titles are not related to the title of literature and discuss other issues, from the 35 articles, there were five systematic review articles and 22 in vivo and 8 in vitro studies. Results: 980 nm and 810 DLs are effective in reduction or treatment of DH alone or in combination with desensitizing agents. DLs and in combination with desensitizing materials are very efficient and precise than treatment done by DLs alone; there is no effect on the pulp tissue as the temperature does not exceed the threshold temperature (5.5°C). Conclusion: 810 and 980 DLs are effective in the treatment and reduction of DH, DLs with different wavelengths alone or with desensitizing materials are efficient, and there is no effect on the pulp tissue as the temperature does not exceed the threshold temperature.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub] [CITATIONS]

The color of normal gingiva depends on the vascular supply of the gingiva, epithelial thickness, degree of keratinization of the epithelium, and the presence of pigmented cells. Excessive gingival display and gingival hyperpigmentation are major concerns for a large number of patients visiting the dentist. The foremost indication for depigmentation therapy is the demand by a patient for improved esthetics. This case report represents a correction of gingival hyperpigmentation by diode laser with satisfactory and pleasant results.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub]

[FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub]

Aim of the Study: The aim of this present study is to evaluate the knowledge level about laser systems in dentistry of practitioners who educated/continuing education in dental faculties in Kırıkkale and Ankara, Turkey. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive study was carried out at the Faculty of Dentistry, Kırıkkale University, in Turkey. In this study, totally, 130 participants were evaluated. Seventy-six of them (17 males and 59 females) were in Ankara and 54 participants (18 males and 36 females) were in Kırıkkale. A survey which consists of 17 questions was conducted through face to face. The obtained data were statistically evaluated using the Chi-square test of SPSS program. Results: At the end of the study, it has been determined that 87.2% of the participants have knowledge about dental laser systems while 12.3% have no information on this subject. This percentage was 81.6% in Ankara and 96.3% in Kırıkkale separately. No statistically significant difference was found comparing the knowledge level of participants regarding cities educated. Conclusion: Since there is limited research available in the literature which investigated the education level on this subject, it can be claimed that the result of this study may be supported this field. This emphasizes that we need to focus more on this and that more research needs to be done.

[ABSTRACT]  [FULL TEXT]  [PDF]  [Mobile Full text]  [EPub]