Lasers and soft tissue: periodontal therapy.

Periodontology exists as a major specialty within clinical dentistry that has developed through the extensive research carried out into all parameters pertaining to a 'best practice' approach. With the advent of surgical lasers into clinical dentistry, considerable interest has been shown in the possible benefits that might be derived from the adjunctive effects of bacterial control and haemostasis that are associated with laser use. Despite the number of publications on the subject, there is still controversy over the use of lasers in periodontology. The following paper will outline the procedures that have been advocated for laser use and provide a review of the literature.