One of the most popular lasers in dentistry is the diode laser. Diode lasers are particularly useful in dental hygiene practice because their wavelengths are highly absorbed in the melanin and hemoglobin found in the soft tissue.  When patients don’t clean subgingivally and prolong their dental cleanings, biofilm communities increase. Healthy pink tissue becomes red in colour (because it has more pigment, or melanin) and is associated with increased bleeding.

This is an opportunity for the laser to perform optimally because it can be taken into the sulcus, and at certain settings, the laser will only be attracted to and interact with diseased tissue and less strongly with healthy tissue.