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Article: Lasers for use in dental hygiene.(lasers)
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- Article date:
- January 1, 2009
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CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2009 American Dental Hygienists' Association. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Introduction
In 1916, Albert Einstein conceptualized a laser based on atomic theory and quantum physics from the work of Neils Bohr and Max Planck. Almost a half-century later in 1960, Theodore Maiman, a scientist at Hughes Aircraft, built the device. In medicine, the carbon dioxide (C[O.sub.2]) lasers were being employed for general surgery during the 1970s and for oral surgery during the 1980s. The first laser specifically designed for dentistry was marketed in 1989. (1)
For clarity, this part of the article will elaborate on the adjunctive use of dental lasers for the initial treatment of periodontitis, in most cases by a trained dental hygienist. ...