Accident due to Incorrect Selection of Diode Laser Technique in the Treatment of Oral Venous Malformation.

Venous malformation (VM) originates from a congenital venous network disorder, configuring about 40% of the vascular anomalies that occur in the head and neck region. The usage of diode lasers in the treatment of VM is associated with various advantages, such as short operating time and few postoperative complications. Nevertheless, for larger and deeper VM treatment, it may require more than one session for the complete resolution of the lesion. Laser surgery for oral VM may induce heat accumulation due to excessive irradiation causing adverse events postoperatively, including pain and ulcer formation with scarring. In this clinical case, it was recommended to use the leopard technique (LT) to reduce the lesion size, evaluate the remaining unhealed lesion, and apply different laser techniques to obtain the complete resolution of the lesion.

SEM Evaluation of Thermal Effects Produced by a 445 nm Laser on Implant Surfaces.

The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate thermal effects on implant surfaces using a 445 nm diode laser (Eltech K-Laser Srl, Treviso, Italy) with different power settings and irradiation modalities. Fifteen new implants (Straumann, Basel, Switzerland) were irradiated to evaluate surface alteration. Each implant was divided into two zones: the anterior and posterior areas. The anterior coronal areas were irradiated with a distance of 1 mm between the optical fiber and the implant; the anterior apical ones were irradiated with the fiber in contact with the implant. Instead, the posterior surfaces of all of the implants were not irradiated and used as control surfaces. The protocol comprised two cycles of laser irradiation, lasting 30 s each, with a one-minute pause between them. Different power settings were tested: a 0.5 W pulsed beam (T-on 25 ms; T-off 25 ms), a 2 W continuous beam and a 3 W continuous beam. Lastly, through a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis, dental implants' surfaces were evaluated to investigate surface alterations. No surface alterations were detected using a 0.5 W laser beam with a pulsed mode at a distance of 1 mm. Using powers of irradiation of 2 W and 3 W with a continuous mode at 1 mm from the implant caused damage on the titanium surfaces. After the irradiation protocol was changed to using the fiber in contact with the implant, the surface alterations increased highly compared to the non-contact irradiation modality. The SEM results suggest that a power of irradiation of 0.5 W with a pulsed laser light emission mode, using an inactivated optical fiber placed 1 mm away from the implant, could be used in the treatment of peri-implantitis, since no implant surface alterations were detected.

Erythema Multiforme as Early Manifestation of COVID-19: A Case Report.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a viral infection involving multi-organ manifestations. The main oral symptoms of COVID-19 associated are taste loss and xerostomia, but literature has reported other oral manifestation, such as oral blisters, ulcers, vesicles and other immunological lesions. This case report showed an Erythema Multiforme (EM) manifesting as oral mucosa lesions in a patient with a late diagnosis of COVID-19 infection. Case Presentation: A 30 years-old Caucasian woman was sent to an oral medicine office, in order to manage painful and oral mucosa lesions associated with target symmetrical skin lesions. Oral examination revealed extensive ulcers in the mouth and crusts on the lips. Based on clinical examinations, a diagnosis of Erythema Multiforme major was made and a drug therapy with steroids was administered. Five days after the specialist visit, the patient discovered that she was positive for COVID-19. The complete recovery occurred in 3 weeks. Conclusion: Confirming the literature studies, EM is an early disease associated with COVID-19 infection.

Comparison of Two Root Canal Filling Techniques: Obturation with Guttacore Carrier Based System and Obturation with Guttaflow2 Fluid Gutta-Percha.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the present study was to compare the quality of the root canal obturation obtained with two different techniques, i.e., thermoplastic gutta-percha introduced through a carrier (GuttaCore) and fluid gutta-percha (GuttaFlow2). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 40 permanent single-rooted human teeth, divided into two groups and obturated with Guttaflow (group G) and with GuttaCore (group T). The teeth were fixed and transversely sectioned, they were examined by scanning electron microscopy. The dentin-cement-gutta-percha interface and the percentage of voids produced by the two techniques were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: GuttaCore showed a better filling in the apical third of the canal with a percentage of voids equal to 5%. GuttaFlow showed a lower percentage of voids in the middle and coronal thirds of the canal, 1.6% of coronal voids. Statistical analysis showed a statistically significant difference in the percentage of voids in the two groups (GuttaCore and Guttaflow2) in each portion. CONCLUSIONS: GuttaFlow2 seems to flow optimally in the middle and coronal third of the canal, with greater difficulty in filling the apical third. Due to the rigidity of the carrier, GuttaCore is able to reach better the most apical portions of the canals, with greater difficulty in creating the three-dimensional seal at the level of the middle third and coronal third.

Histological Ex Vivo Evaluation of the Suitability of a 976 nm Diode Laser in Oral Soft Tissue Biopsies.

INTRODUCTION: Laser-induced thermal effects can preclude a safe histological evaluation of biopsy resection margins. The aim of this study was to evaluate the suitability of a 976 nm diode laser in oral soft tissue biopsies in an ex vivo study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 976 nm diode laser (Solase®, Lazon Medical Laser, China) has been used in the contact mode, using a 400 µm fiber tip, at different parameters from 4 to 6 W in the continuous wave (CW), with a fluence between 3184 and 4777 J/cm2, and pulsed wave (PW) mode, with a fluence between 318,4 and 477,7 J/cm2, to obtain 30 samples from fresh pig cadaver tongues. All specimens were subdivided into 6 groups (from A to F), and each group consisted of 5 samples. Two sections were obtained from each sample. A histological analysis was performed using an optical microscope at magnifications of 5x and 10x. Statistical analysis was carried out using Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's tests. RESULTS: The results showed that histological readability was optimal in all the samples. The thermal damage was negligible in all groups. The average thermal damage was 208.40 ± 133.81 µm in the epithelial tissue and 330.14 ± 147.45 µm in the connective tissue. The statistical analysis showed no differences between the groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: A 976 nm diode laser demonstrated good surgical effectiveness that provoked little peripheral damage in the cut edges and allowed a safe histological diagnosis. Clinical Relevance. In oral pathology, many times, there is fear in using the laser to remove some lesions due to its thermal effect on the tissues close to the lesion. This effect is always present in the use of the laser, but the intent is to minimize this effect to have as little alteration as possible on the surrounding tissues.

In vivo clinical and histological thermal effect of a 445 nm diode laser on oral soft tissues during a biopsy.

Blue diode laser emits a 445 nm wavelength light, which is extremely effective with hemoglobin, and has an optimal hemostatic effect. This work analyzes its thermal effects and clinical efficacy, when used to perform excisional biopsies. Forty-two excisional biopsies were performed with the laser; then, the extent of perincisional thermal effects was evaluated and patients were followed up. Average alteration on epithelial tissue was 507.07 µm, and on connective tissue was 320.39 µm. In all the cases, it was possible to obtain a histological diagnosis. Diode lasers can be safely used to perform biopsies; various intra- and postoperative advantages were confirmed.

Laser Photobiomodulation (PBM)-A Possible New Frontier for the Treatment of Oral Cancer: A Review of In Vitro and In Vivo Studies.

The treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is particularly complex due to its aggressive behavior, location, the patient's age, and its spread at diagnosis. In recent years, photobiomodulation (PBM) has been introduced in different medical fields; however, its application, in patients suffering from OSCC for palliative support or to induce analgesia, has been hotly debated due to the possibility that the cell growth stimuli induced by PBM could lead to a worsening of the lesions. The aim of this study is to review the literature to observe the available data investigating the effect of PBM on cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. A review was conducted on the PubMed and Scopus databases. A total of twelve studies met the inclusion criteria and were therefore included for quality assessment and data extraction. The analysis showed that the clinical use of PBM is still only partially understood and is, therefore, controversial. Some authors stated that it could be contraindicated for clinical use in patients suffering from SCC, while others noted that it could have beneficial effects. According to the data that emerged from this review, it is possible to hypothesize that there are possibilities for PBM to play a beneficial role in treating cancer patients, but further evidence about its clinical efficacy and the identification of protocols and correct dosages is still needed.

Histological Effects of an Innovative 445 Nm Blue Laser During Oral Soft Tissue Biopsy.

Continuously evolving laser devices can be used in various fields; they are an alternative to the traditional cold blade surgery to perform biopsies of oral soft tissues. The aspect focused on in this paper is the possibility to use the 445 nm diode laser (Eltech K-Laser srl, Treviso, Italy) in complete safety, by evaluating its thermal effects during microscopy. A histological evaluation of the alteration of the peri-incisional edges on 10 samples was realized. All excisional biopsies were related to clinically unsuspected lesions and performed by the same expert operator. The surgical procedure was performed with the same laser parameters and the same pathologist evaluated the thermal effect on the samples. An average value of the detected tissue alteration was calculated; the average damage of the epithelium was 650.93 µm, while in the connective tissue it was 468.07 µm. In all the cases a clear diagnosis was possible, and no clinical complications were observed; so, the 445 nm diode laser proved to be a device that can be safely used for biopsies of clinically unsuspicious lesions. Due to the small number of cases, this in vivo preliminary experience needs to be extended.