An Evidence-based Approach to Laser Therapy around Ailing/Failing Dental Implants
Laser Therapy around Ailing/Failing Dental Implants

Although the long-term success of dental implants is relatively high and their function and utility have been widely documented, peri-implant diseases, including peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis, are common and can prove to be a clinical conundrum for practitioners. Laser, which is an acronym for “light amplification through stimulation of emission radiation”, therapy may be one of the therapeutic approaches to treat peri-implant disease as an adjunct to nonsurgical or surgical periodontal therapy.¹⁸ Commercially available lasers that have been used for implant surface disinfection include: carbon dioxide (CO₂), diode, erbium yttrium aluminum garnet (Er:YAG), and neodymium yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG).^18,102-104 Each laser generally has a fixed wavelength that determined the properties of the laser beam and its effects on tissues, materials, and microbes (Figure 4). For example, certain laser types are utilized and designed to target certain substances or tissues, known as chromophores.¹⁰⁴ These may include: water, blood, pigmentation, cell types, collagen, bone, minerals, and/or bacteria (Table 1).