Lasers in dentistry

BACKGROUND

During the last two decades, much has been written in both the scientific literature and the popular press about lasers and their use in the dental office. Both soft- and hard-tissue applications have been discussed, including frenectomy, gingival contouring, caries removal and bleaching.

OVERVIEW

Almost one-third of patients surveyed by the American Dental Association in the late 1990s thought it was very important that their dentists have lasers, which could put pressure on dentists to invest in this tool to attract patients. The authors describe the different types of dental lasers and examine the science behind their applications in dentistry.

CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Although lasers do have legitimate uses in dentistry, they do not take the place of any of the more conventional tools in the dentist's armamentarium. Before investing in a laser, dentists should fully understand the differences between the various types, including what the scientific literature says about their applications.

Forensic dentistry: an overview for the general dentist

This article intends to familiarize the reader with the forensic odontologist's role in identifying human remains in mass disasters as well as identifying signs of violent assault using bite mark analysis. The principles of identification may be applied to one victim or multiple victims.

The Pennsylvania Dental Association's initiatives to develop relationships with the Hispanic Dental Association

All dentists should think seriously about actively participating in their dental organizations and becoming a part of the ADA tripartite system. We can bring about change, but this will occur only by having strength in numbers. Presently, the ADA has a 70% market share of active licensed dentists. We want all national dental groups to be a part of this mix so that we can meet the challenges before us--and work together to ensure the delivery of the very best dental care to our patients.