Laser in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

The term "laser" was first introduced to the public in Gould's 1959 conference paper "The LASER, Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation". Their use in oral and maxillofacial surgery did not become mainstream until relatively recently. Over the past 10 years, how¬ever, lasers have gradually become a valuable and reliable tool in the oral and maxillofacial surgeon's armamentarium. In addition, the number and variety of procedures for which lasers are being used has paralleled the ever-widening scope of the contemporary practice of oral and maxillofacial surgery. . The significant advantages of the laser in surgery are its ability to coagulate, vaporize, or incise tissue based on its power and the time of application.