Current status of laser applications in oral and cranio-maxillofacial surgery

Abstract

Abstract In oral and cranio-maxillofacial surgery, laser systems are of interest which allow ablation of soft and hard tissues. From the results of recent studies it may be concluded that clinical use of a 9.6 μm CO 2 laser as a cutting tool can be considered to preserve tissue with almost no adverse effects at the light microscopic level. In oral soft tissue surgery, as an alternative to the scalpel, the CO 2 laser is an established procedure which has been in use for more than 25 years. Moreover, many other laser applications have become state of the art over the past years, especially in cancer surgery, in aesthetic indications, in surgery of blood vessels and nerves and in oral surgery. This article is a comprehensive review of recent laser applications in oral and maxillofacial surgery, providing information for dentists, oral surgeons and maxillofacial surgeons. However, in many indications, new studies are required to evaluate if laser treatment is more of value than the conventional surgical technique.