Nd : YAG and CO2 laser therapy of oral mucosal lesions

Objective: Experiences gained in the management of oral mucosal lesions by CO2 and Nd:YAG laser therapy in an outpatient clinic treated over an 80-yea r period are described. Summary Background Data: Lasers have indications fo r use in dentistry for incision, excision, and coagulation of intraoral sof t tissue. Advances in laser technology have provided delivery systems for s ite-specific delivery of laser energy with short interaction items on tissu e to be ablated, This study retrospectively evaluates a series of clinical case studies. Methods: Sixty-four patients with a variety of benign oral so ft tissue lesions were treated by laser excision, Thirty-five patients were treated by a pulsed fiberoptic delivered Nd:YAG contact laser, and 29 by a continuous free-beam CO2 noncontact laser. The largest group of lesions tr eated were leukoplakia (39 cases), Other lesions excised and biopsied were lichen planus, squamous papilloma, pyogenic granuloma, focal melanosis, non healing traumatic ulceration, hemangioma, and lymphangioma, All patients we re followed postoperatively (mean 6.8 months, range 1-36 months), Results: Laser excision was well tolerated by patients with no intraoperative or pos toperative adverse effects. All patients healed postsurgically with no Loss of function, Conclusions: CO2 and Nd:YAG lasers are successful surgical op tions when performing excision of benign intraoral lesions. Advantages of l aser therapy include minimal postoperative pain, conservative site-specific minimally invasive surgeries, and elimination of need for sutures.