Laser system and method for operating the laser system

A method for irrigation, including debriding, cleaning and decontamination, of open dental cavities (2) filled with a liquid (3), comprising of the following steps:

• providing a laser system (1) comprising a laser source (4) for generating a laser beam (5), an optical delivery system (6) and a treatment handpiece (7) including an exit component (8), wherein the treatment handpiece (7) and its exit component (8) are configured to irradiate the liquid (3) within the open tooth cavity (2) with the laser beam (5) in a contact or non-contact manner, wherein a wavelength of the laser beam (5) is in a range from above 0.4 μm to 11.0 μm inclusive, wherein the laser system is adapted to be operated in pulsed operation with pulse sets (21) containing at least two and maximally twenty individual pulses (p) of a temporally limited pulse length (tp), wherein the pulse sets (21) follow one another with a temporal separation (Ts), and wherein the individual pulses (p) follow one another with a pulse repetition rate (fp),
• applying said pulsed laser beam (5) to the liquid (3) disposed within the open dental cavity (2) thereby forming at least one vapor bubble (18) in the liquid (3), wherein one single pulse (p) causes the at least one vapor bubble (18) to oscillate between a maximal and a minimal volume with a bubble oscillation frequency (fb);
• adjusting the pulse repetition rate (fp) of the individual pulses (p) within one pulse set (21) of the laser beam (5) relative to the bubble oscillation frequency (fb) such, that a synchronization between the delivery of the pulses (p) and the bubble oscillation is achieved,
• performing the treatment until desired irrigation, including debriding, cleaning and decontamination, is achieved, or until the temperature rise within the anatomical cavity reaches 3.5 degrees Celsius, whichever occurs first.

A method for irrigation, including debriding, cleaning and decontamination, of open dental cavities (2) filled with liquid (3), comprising of the following steps:

• providing a laser system (1) comprising a laser source (4) for generating a laser beam (5), an optical delivery system (6) and a treatment handpiece (7) including an exit component (8), wherein the optical delivery system (6) comprises an articulated arm (14), wherein the handpiece (7) and its exit component (8) are configured to irradiate the liquid (3) within the open tooth cavity (2) in a contact manner, wherein the exit component (8) has a conical output surface (13), wherein a wavelength of the laser beam (5) is in a range from above 0.4 μm, inclusive, to 11.0 μm inclusive, wherein the laser system (1) is adapted to be operated in pulsed operation with pulse sets (21) containing at least one and maximally twenty individual pulses (p) of a temporally limited pulse length (tp), wherein the laser pulse length (tp) is in the range of ≧1 μs and <250 μs, wherein the pulse repetition rate is in the range from 1 kHz, including, to 20 kHz, including, and wherein a temporal separation (TS) between the pulse sets (21) is ≧20 ms;
• applying said pulsed laser light in a contact manner to the liquid (3) disposed in the open dental cavity (2) thereby forming a vapor bubble (18);
• and
• performing the treatment until desired irrigation, including debriding, cleaning and decontamination, is achieved, or until the temperature rise within the anatomical cavity reaches 3.5 degrees Celsius, whichever occurs first.

A method for irrigation, including debriding, cleaning and decontamination, of open dental cavities (2) filled with liquid (3), comprising of the following steps:

• providing a laser system (1) comprising a laser source (4) for generating a laser beam (5), an optical delivery system (6) and a treatment handpiece (7) including an exit component (8), wherein the handpiece (7) and its exit component (8) are configured to irradiate the liquid (3) within the open tooth cavity (2) in a contact manner, wherein the exit component (8) has a flat or conical output surface (13), wherein a wavelength of the laser beam (5) is in a range from above 0.4 μm, inclusive, to 11.0 μm inclusive, wherein the laser system (1) is adapted to be operated in pulsed operation with pulse sets (21) containing at least two and maximally four individual pulses (p) of a temporally limited pulse length (tp), wherein the laser pulse length (tp) is in the range of ≧1 μs and <120 μs, wherein a temporal separation (TS) between the pulse sets (21) is ≧20 ms, and wherein the individual pulses (p) follow one another with a pulse repetition rate (fp) within a range of 1 kHz, inclusive, to 20 kHz, inclusive;
• and
• applying said pulsed laser light in a contact manner to the liquid (3) disposed in the anatomical cavity (2) thereby forming a vapor bubble (18);
• and
• performing the treatment until desired irrigation, including debriding, cleaning and decontamination, is achieved, or until the temperature rise within the anatomical cavity reaches 3.5 degrees Celsius, whichever occurs first.