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The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of low-power of 940-nm diode laser on post-operative pain after undisplaced flap surgery. This randomized clinical trial study was conducted using a split-mouth design. The study participants comprised 30 patients who needed periodontal flap surgery for periodontal pockets on the same tooth on both sides of the mandible. One side of the mandible was subjected to undisplaced flap surgery plus treatment with a 940-nm diode laser, and on the contralateral side, the surgery was conducted without applying the laser. Patients received anti-inflammatory medication and analgesics after surgery. The patients were asked to report the number of analgesics they took and the pain they experienced each night for 1 week using a visual analogue scale. An independent-sample t test was used to compare the results between the two groups. Patients reported less pain on days 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 after surgery in the laser-treated group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, fewer analgesics were used in this group on days 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 following the surgery (p < 0.05). The 940-nm diode laser with the settings used in this study could significantly reduce pain and the number of analgesics taken by patients after undisplaced flap surgery.

Different techniques have been introduced for the removal of ceramic brackets. Since the early 1990s, lasers have been used experimentally for debonding ceramic brackets. The goal of this study is to give a comprehensive literature review on laser-aided ceramic bracket debonding. PubMed and Google Scholar databases were used to identify dental articles with the following combination of key words: Ceramic brackets, Debonding, and Laser. Sixteen English articles from 2004 to 2015 were selected. The selected studies were categorized according to the variables investigated including the intrapulpal temperature, shear bond strength, debonding time, enamel damage and bracket failure. Most articles reported decreased shear bond strength and debonding time following laser irradiation without any critical and irritating increase in pulpal temperature. There were no reports of bracket failure or enamel damage. Laser irradiation is an efficient way to reduce shear bond strength of ceramic bracket and debonding time. This technique is a safe way for removing ceramic bracket with minimal impact on intrapulpal temperature and enamel surface and it reduces ceramic bracket failure.

Nowadays, bleaching of the teeth within the dental office is one of the most widespread techniques to correct tooth discoloration. Variability of the materials and techniques accompanied with the trend toward esthetic restorations with minimally invasive approaches are increasing. The use of laser in this regard has also been taken into consideration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of in-office versus laser bleaching on surface roughness of enamel. Fifteen freshly extracted human molars were sectioned mesiodistally to produce 30 lingual and buccal enamel blocks. Samples were mounted in transparent acrylic resin blocks and polished before treatment. Samples were randomly assigned to laser bleaching (LB) and office bleaching (OB) groups (n = 15 each). Pretreatment evaluation of microroughness was carried out for all samples using profilometer. Samples were treated twice in the OB group with Opalescent Xtra Boost and in the LB group using a laser-activated gel. Microroughness was evaluated after bleaching in both groups. Data were analyzed using repeated measure ANOVA. Both methods increased enamel surface roughness. Microroughness changes were significantly different between the two groups (p < 0.05). Microroughness significantly increased in the OB group (p > 0.05), but there was no significant difference in pre- and post-treatment roughness evaluation in the LB group (p < 0.05). Laser was considered a safer technique because it demonstrated a less surface roughness increase in comparison with the conventional office bleaching procedure.

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