Effectiveness of Diode Laser (808 nm) for Excisional and Incisional Biopsies of Oral Lesions

Abstract

Lasers have made a tremendous progress in the field of dentistry and have turned out to be crucial in oral surgery as collateral approach for soft tissue surgery. This rapid progress can be attributed to the fact that lasers allow efficient execution of soft tissue procedures with excellent hemostasis and field visibility. When comparing to scalpel, electrocautery or high frequency devices, lasers offer maximum postoperative patient comfort. Methods: Ten patients agreed to undergo surgical removal of oral lesions of 808 nm diode lasers, power of 2 watt were used in continuous wave mode for excisional and incisional biopsies. The specimens were sent for histopathological examination and patients were assessed on intraoperative and postoperative complications. Results: The obtained results showed that diode laser surgery was rapid, bloodless and well accepted by patients and led to complete resolution of the lesions. The excised specimen proved adequate for histopathological examination. Hemostasis was achieved immediately after the procedure with minimal postoperative problems, discomfort and scarring. Conclusion: We conclude that diode lasers are rapidly becoming the standard of care in contemporary dental practice and can be employed in procedures requiring excisional biopsy of oral soft tissue lesions with minimal problems in histopathological diagnosis and minimal patient discomfort.