The clinical effects of Nd: YAG laser application after extraction

ABSTRACT

NdYAG laser is well absorbed to water, melanin, hemoglobin and thus, NdYAG laser may be used for bleeding control and extraction site sterilization where is easily contaminated by saliva and blood. Additionaly, NdYAG laser have analgesic effect by elevation of pain threshold. On the basis of NdYAG laser effects, we applied the NdYAG laser on extraction socket of 50 patients who visited to our department for lower third molar extraction and evaluated the effects of NdYAG laser on the bleeding control, pain relief, swelling reduction after tooth extraction. For the objective assesment on NdYAG laser effects, we made up the other 50 patients(control group) who were treated by conventional extraction method and compare the subjective and objective symptoms(pain relief, swelling and oozing time) between each group. The results were as follows 1. The NdYAG laser was effective to relief of postextraction pain and most effective to 2 hours after extraction when local anesthesia disappears. 2. The NdYAG laser application was non-effective to reducing the facial swelling after extraction. 3. The NdYAG was effective to decrease the oozing time after extraction and the average time was 4 hours.