Pain in Gingival Retraction using Two Types of Laser

Abstract

Recently, a laser is begun to use for gingival retraction instead of an electrosurgical knife when the gingiva cover up the margin of abutment tooth. We have been using CO₂ laser and Er: YAG laser for gingival retraction for the few years. One of the advantages of gingival retraction using laser is that the patients feel a few pains. However, the research referred to the pain when laser was irradiated to the gingival isn't found. In the present study, we experimented about the pain to feel for the patients when irradiating CO₂ laser and Er: YAG laser to gingiva. As a result, under the irradiation condition using for usual gingival retraction, the subjects felt few pains in irradiating Er: YAG laser than CO₂ laser, Hemostatic effect of Er: YAG laser is low compared with CO₂ laser, however operating time of gingival retraction using Er: YAG laser is relatively long. Therefore, when using laser for gingival retraction, we should choose suitable laser according to the situation of marginal gingiva.