I have the same questions–i have looked through old threads comparing the waterlase and delight–it seems to be split–maybe a personal preference???

I want the laser to:
1) attract new patients
2) re-energize ME–I have become very excited with this proposition
3) hard tissue procedures–class I-V preps,desensitization etc
4) soft tissue procedures would be along the lines of gingivectomy, crown lenghtening, perio?

I guess i don’t really know all of the possibilities yet–i just want ot make a good informed decision between these 2 products

I have also been told to get a delight or waterlase and a diode–but for now I would like one machine with as much versatility as possible.

I haven’t really been able to gather than one laser is that much different than the other–or if the new waterkase MD is worth the extra 22K

thanks
William

1st let me qualify my answer in that I have not used the MD and do not plan on upgrading.

I believe that as you get further along in your lasing abilities, the variable Hz will become more useful to you, especially in the ability to refine margins and smooth incisions.

Mark C.  might be able chime in on the visibility of the new handpiece and the varible pulse duration. I haven’t seen anything that explains the advantages of varying the pulse duration in an erbium (as opposed to an nd:YAG- tissue control, clotting, etc.)

Wilson, any of the erbiums should be a nice compliment to your Odessy. You just have to determine what you get for the purchase price. You will want to consider what training is included, service, company stability, and warranty cost to name a few.

William,
You will be amazed at the new patients the laser will attract. While the learning curve can sometimes be frustrating, you will no doubt become re-energized about your career. As far as the learning curve, you also have many more sources available now than were out there even 3 years ago. This will help minimize the frustrations.
As far as versitility goes, you can do many things with an erbium but it is not the best wavelength for everything. NdYAGS and diodes are better for soft tissue. IMO, erbiums are not the choice for perio(based on the physics) although some are gettig nice results using the erbium and what I’d call the ‘pile on’ technique (throw in a little of everything that might help).

Hope this helps and good luck with your decisions,

Kelly from what I saw the MD does have two pulse durations (150 usec for hardtissue and a longer pulse of 650 or 750 usec which they feel will help soft tissue hemorrhage.)

Laser physics and absorption spectrum have something to do with this as well as pulse duration so it will be interesting to see what has more importance in coagulation.

Absorption spectrum……….or pulse duration.

i think I know but time will tell.

Glenn

1. After the 1st year Biolase offers 3 options. Platinum- &#363800 which is priority and includes labor,parts (no tips or handpieces),travel, preventive,service upgrades,delivery system parts, scheduling priority,fedex priority shipping. Next is Gold-25% discount on labor, 50%discount on parts (not tips or handpieces),actual travel cost,preventive,freight charges additional,max. cost &#365700. finally there is on demand- labor &#36750,actual travel cost including airfare,parts at list,no limit on cost,low service priority, freight chrage additional.
I think as far as the Waterlase is concerned, fibers, handpieces and tips have the biggest potential for breakdown. Much of the problem is probably caused by new users rather than the parts themselves. In the beginning you will accidently bang and fracture tips. Lasing metal restorations also goes along way toward frying tips, handpiece mirrors and then the fiber. If you want to negotiate a little before purchase, one of the things I’d try and get thrown in is an extra fiber which you can change and the ability to do so sometimes helps diagnose what is actually the problem when you run into them.

2.some DT folks are anti everything ;). IMO Biolase is going thru some growing pains on the financial/interaction with wall street side. They have always been good in responding to any laser problem I have had. My 1st machine ws a lemon and they ended up replacing it.

3.To get you started  a few links… If you do a search you’ll find more here, just no sinus lifts or chin reductions

http://www.rwebstudio.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard//topic.cgi?forum=25&topic=38

http://www.rwebstudio.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard//topic.cgi?forum=25&topic=140

http://www.rwebstudio.com/cgi-bin/ikonboard//topic.cgi?forum=25&topic=130

4.probably better answered by your accountant or financial advisor.

thanks for the info and cases
my question is still–
if you were buying today, would you get
1) waterlase MD
2) original waterlase and diode
3) delight and diode

does the delight provide more variations in tips and is this as helpful as it appears?

waterlase seems to have the most CE available?

thanks

William

I may as well jump in here, since I own both a DELight and a Diodent …

I’m learning to love my Er:YAG.  It was a long, tempestuous courtship (as some of you know), but I think we’re getting along famously these days.  Hoya’s been good to me.  I had some mechanical problems early on and they fixed things and worked with me to get the quality of education I needed to be competent and comfortable.  I’m a slow learner.

There are lots of wonderful people using the Waterlase and wouldn’t trade for the world.  You’d probably be happy with either.

For example, I did 4 restorations on a 5-year-old today with no anesthetic — two of them were near enough to the pulps to require basing.  She didn’t budge.  That’s gratifying.  I’ve had my share of stinkers, but for the most part, I enjoy using the laser.

That said, the Diodent pretty much sits in the spare room collecting dust.  I’ve not had much luck with hemostasis during crown prep troughing, and I have yet to see much benefit of the diode in soft tissue applications that can’t be done as well or better with the DELight.  If I could master the coagulation-thing with it, I’d have a different opinion, I’m sure.

I’m getting a Periolase in February, so I see even less need for my diode laser.

That’s my tale.  If you have any inkling that you’re gonna buy a laser and want to do ANY hard-tissue work with it, don’t even consider a diode yet.

Anybody wanna buy a slightly-used Diodent?  🙂

— Don

P.S.  I’m not on anyone’s payroll — just my opinions

P.P.S. Oh, yeah … not everybody’s nice here. I’m here.

(Edited by N8RV at 6:52 pm on Dec. 13, 2004)