Effects on oral soft tissue produced by a diode laser in vitro.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES This investigation determined incision characteristics and soft-tissue damage resulting from standardized incisions using a wide range of laser modes and parameters of a diode laser at 810 nm. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS Histologic examinations were performed to verify vertical and horizontal tissue damage as well as incision depth and width. RESULTS Incision depth and width correlated strongly with average powers, but not with laser parameters or the used tips. No laser damage was visible to the naked eye in the bone underlying the incisions in the range between 0.5-4.5 W. CONCLUSION The remarkable cutting ability and the tolerable damage zone clearly show that the diode laser is a very effective and, because of its excellent coagulation ability, useful alternative in soft-tissue surgery of the oral cavity.