Carmen Todea: Minimally-Invasive Laser Based Approach in Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics
This lecture will present the most important laser-based methods for diagnostics and treatment in pediatric dentistry and orthodontics. It will cover areas from non-invasive diagnostics to minimally-invasive treatments for these fields of dentistry. In pediatric dentistry as well as in orthodontics, Quantitative Light Florescence (QLF), the DiagnoDent 655 nm system, Laser Doppler Flowmetry (LDF) and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) will be the main non-invasive diagnostic methods taken into consideration. In pediatric dentistry, the Er:YAG laser, as one of the most efficient lasers, will be used for different treatments starting with prevention and continuing with cavity preparation, pulpotomies and other conservative treatments in cases of fractured or traumatized teeth. In orthodontics, 3D laser scanners are increasingly being used to establish databases for normative population and cross-sectional growth changes, as well as to assess clinical outcomes in orthognathic surgical and non-surgical treatments. The lecture will also include the importance of lasers in surgical procedures in orthodontics, such as frenectomy, gingivectomy and corticotomy. Information regarding bacterial decontamination and bracket debonding will also be discussed.
Keywords: lasers, dentistry, non-invasive diagnostics, minimally-invasive treatments, pediatric dentistry, orthodontics.