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

The aim of this ex vivo study was to assess the mean temperature change deep in tissue during diode laser (980 vs. 810 nm) irradiation using continuous and pulsed laser and initiated versus noninitiated tips. Previous studies have determined thermal effects of diode lasers on tissue damage but have yet to compare the incision qualities of 980 versus 810 nm diode lasers. Further studies need to be done to determine the efficiency of diode lasers to create a safer protocol for clinicians. Ninety-six incisions of 20 mm length were made in three bovine tongues using diode lasers (980 and 810 nm). Both continuous and pulsed modes were tested with initiated (using blue articulating paper) and noninitiated glass fibers (n = 12 per group). Thermocouples attached to LabChart^® software were used to measure mean temperature changes. Mean, standard deviations, and p values were conducted for each group to test the statistical significance (p < 0.05). Quality of incisions were better using the initiated tips for both laser wavelengths. Pulsed mode with 810 nm diode laser produced the least mean temperature change in tissue. Overall, both pulsed and continuous mode showed similar thermal effects on tissue. Within the limitations of this study, noninitiated tips are responsible for diffuse irradiation in tissue and are associated with tissue temperature increase during surgery. Low incision quality was observed using noninitiated tips. The temperature changes seem to be dependent on the laser wavelength and are higher for 980 nm compared with 810 nm pulsed diode laser.