Temperature Change from Diode Lasers in Oral Mucosa: An Ex Vivo Study

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Laser Surgery
• Tissue Optics

Background:

• Diode lasers are utilized in various surgical procedures.
• Understanding thermal effects and incision quality is crucial for optimizing laser protocols.
• Previous research has focused on tissue damage, but direct comparisons of specific diode laser parameters are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the mean temperature change in tissue during diode laser irradiation at 980 nm versus 810 nm.
• To evaluate the effect of continuous versus pulsed laser modes on tissue temperature.
• To assess the impact of initiated versus noninitiated laser tips on incision quality and thermal effects.

Main Methods:

• Ex vivo study involving 96 incisions in bovine tongue tissue.
• Diode lasers at 980 nm and 810 nm were used in continuous and pulsed modes.
• Initiated (with blue articulating paper) and noninitiated glass fiber tips were tested; temperature was measured using thermocouples.

Main Results:

• Initiated tips resulted in better incision quality for both laser wavelengths.
• The 810 nm diode laser in pulsed mode exhibited the lowest mean temperature increase in tissue.
• Both pulsed and continuous modes demonstrated similar thermal effects; 980 nm showed higher temperature changes than 810 nm.

Conclusions:

• Noninitiated tips lead to diffuse irradiation, increasing tissue temperature and reducing incision quality.
• Laser wavelength and tip initiation significantly influence thermal effects and surgical outcomes.
• The 810 nm pulsed diode laser may offer a safer surgical protocol due to lower tissue temperature changes.