What Are Lasers What Are Its Types
By http://www.identalhub.com/ Published: 12/31/2008
Lasers are unique and versatile in dentistry by virtue of their physical characteristics. Properties such as collimation, coherence, monochromaticity are generated in the high energy processes occurring inside the optical cavity. The lasers beam that is projected from this cavity and on to the patient’s tissues retains these characteristics. In dentistry lasers are used for caries detection, removal of caries, for bleaching the teeth and even for some surgical procedures.
The process of lasing occurs when an excited atom can be stimulated to emit a photon before the process occurs spontaneously. TYPE OF LASERS
Two types of lasers are used in dentistry which are as follows
· HARD LASERS
· SOFT LASERS
Hard Lasers
Hard lasers are longer wave length lasers producing thermal effect which cut the tissue by coagulation, vaporization and carbonization. These lasers have been used for surgical soft tissue applications.
Soft Lasers
Soft lasers are low level lasers producing cold thermal low energy. Wavelength of less than about 450nm with minor temperature increase of less than 0.1degree Celsius are used. These wave length stimulate circulation and cellular activity. Soft lasers which emits a light in the visible or near infrared region of the spectrum and causes various effects such as anti-inflammatory, vascular etc.
LOW LEVEL LASERS
There are many types of low level lasers depending on their active media:
Carbon dioxide lasers
Argon lasers
Neodymium-yttrium-aluminum-garnet
Potassium-titanyl-phosphate
Helium neon
Ruby laser
Excimer laser
Holmium: YAG laser
ComityThe process of lasing occurs when an excited atom can be stimulated to emit a photon before the process occurs spontaneously.
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