The effects of the carbon dioxide surgical laser on oral tissues.

The carbon dioxide laser has become more widely available in recent years and is now employed in many branches of surgery. It is important to understand its biological effect on oral tissues so that the likely response in patients can be predicted. However, little information has been published on the healing mechanism of oral wounds. A study of the healing of laser wounds at various sites in the mouth has been undertaken in a clinically analogous animal model and the results correlated with the findings in patients. A brief description is given of the role of the carbon dioxide laser in the management of oral mucosal disease.