The laser technology offers a wide range of uses in dentistry with certain advantages to the general dental practitioner like bloodless surgery, minimal postoperative pain, reduction of operative time and high patient acceptance. Patient acceptance has also been demonstrated in various studies. Despite these major advantages, safety regarding the use of lasers cannot be neglected. It has become an important concern in this modern era of dentistry because of the growing application of the technology. Potential hazards can be encountered while using lasers like the ocular hazards, tissue injury, inhaling the vapors emitted by the laser procedure, fire, explosion hazards, etc. The safe use of lasers should be ensured by the individuals who might be exposed either deliberately or accidently while using lasers. Effective measures should also be undertaken by clinicians and health professionals to minimize the injuries caused due to laser accidents. This article explores the risks involved in the use of lasers in dentistry and suggests some of the laser safety protocols/measures that can be established in the dental office for prevention of laser injuries.

Ankyloglossia or tongue-tie, refers to a minor anomaly in the attachment of the membrane or frenum that attaches the tongue to the floor of the mouth, which may interfere with normal function and mobility of the tongue. Ankyloglossia is a poorly recognized and inadequately defined condition and has been reported to cause breastfeeding difficulties, dental issues and speech problems. This article discusses assessment criterions to diagnose posterior ankylogossia and lays down treatment protocol in neonates using the Er,Cr:YSGG (Waterlase MD).

The word ‘LASER’ is an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. Different types of lasers used in dentistry are Argon, CO₂, Nd:YAG (Neodium:Yttrium- Aluminum-Garnet), Diode and Er:YAG (Erbium: Yttrium- Aluminum-Garnet). Various uses of soft tissue diode lasers in periodontics are depigmentation, soft tissue crown lengthening procedure, soft tissue recontouring, hemostasis, soft tissue ablation, removal of large masses of tissue, bactericidal effects in the pockets, curettage, frenectomy and operculectomy. The present article reports three cases of the application of soft tissue diode LASER (Fotona XD-2)0 ^® in Periodontics - one being gingival depigmentation and the other two of maxillary labial frenectomy. The patient of gingival depigmentation showed mild patchy repigmentation after 1 year follow-up whereas the patients of frenectomy had stable frenal attachment 6 months postoperatively.

Ossifying fibroma mostly occurs in the craniofacial bones and is generally categorized into two types, namely, central and peripheral ossifying fibroma. The peripheral type occurs solely on the soft tissue overlying the alveolar process and is ‘nonneoplastic’. It is a common gingival growth that usually arises from the interdental papilla. The etiology and pathogenesis of peripheral ossifying fibroma (POF) is unclear. It is thought to arise from the cells in the periodontal ligament. Trauma or local irritation, such as dental plaque, calculus, ill-fitting dental appliances and poor-quality dental restorations are all known to precipitate in the development of POF. Clinically, differential diagnosis includes peripheral giant cell granuloma, pyogenic granuloma, fibroma and peripheral fibroma. Treatment of POF consists of elimination of etiological factors, scaling and root planing of involved teeth and total aggressive surgical excision. Another option available in place of the conventional surgical excision is the excision using lasers. A new addition to this generation of lasers is Er,Cr:YSGG laser. The aim of this paper is to analyze the effectiveness of Er,Cr:YSGG laser in the treatment of POF. The outcome in this case was painless experience to the patient, minimal intraoperative bleeding in the surgical field and excellent healing of the operated area in 1 week period, concluding as one of the best treatment option available for excision of POF.

Neurofibroma is an uncommon benign tumor of the oral cavity derived from the cells that constitute the nerve sheath. The cases of oral cavity involvement by a solitary and peripheral plexiform neurofibroma in patients with no other signs of neurofibromatosis is uncommon. Sporadic cases have been reported in the submandibular gland, tongue and on the periosteum at the mental foramen. The World Health Organization (WHO) has subdivided neurofibromas into two broad categories: dermal and plexiform. The dermal neurofibromas arise from a single peripheral nerve, while the plexiform neurofibromas are associated with multiple nerve bundles. The aim of this paper is to analyze the effectiveness of diode laser in the treatment of neurofibroma of a solitary lesion on the tongue. The advantages of using lasers in this case report was a bloodless and painless experience for the patient with excellent healing of the operated site after a period of 1 week.

Oral ulcers in children are a frequent complaint of patients reporting to a dental professional. These can be very painful and may cause difficulty during eating, speaking and brushing. Several modalities have been proposed for management of oral ulcers, such as topical anesthetics, antiseptic mouthwashes, etc. However, these have not been proven very efficacious. Low level laser therapy (LLLT) has been suggested as a means of accelerating healing of oral ulcers. This case report presents a case of two painful aphthous ulcers in a 13-year-old child treated with LLLT using soft tissue diode laser. Immediately after the laser therapy, the pain reduced significantly and the healing occured substantially in 72 hours.

Lasers offer simplification of procedures with predictable outcomes. Choice of laser wavelength depends upon the indication for use, ease of use, availability and its spectrum of application. The following article consists of a case report that demonstrates the combined use of various laser wavelengths for the treatment; using a diode laser for frenectomy and an Er,Cr:YSGG laser for osseous crown lengthening.