Mark,

I’m not surprised your golf balls would be  ‘laser MARKed’ :biggrin:

Just don’t tell me you’re using the HeNe laser to line up your putts!

Hey folks,

Lean real close to your monitor and you can almost hear a roar – yes, the roar of thunderous applause as Dr. Bob Gregg just laser-guided a bomb right into the Bull’s Eye of the target area!!!!!

Congratulations Dr. Gregg!!!!!!

Al

I posted this under the Gerenal Erbium Forum but thought it might also be good here ( I’m still one of those who are happy with their Waterlase )

Interesting abstract-

Pulsed erbium laser ablation of hard dental tissue: the effects of atomized water spray versus water surface film
Freiberg, Robert J., IMC Associates; Cozean, Colette D., ENO Vision, LLC
Publication: Proc. SPIE Vol. 4610, p. 74-84, Lasers in Dentistry VIII, Peter Rechmann; Daniel Fried; Thomas Hennig; Eds.
Publication Date: 6/2002

---

Abstract:
It has been established that the ability of erbium lasers to ablate hard dental tissue is due primarily to the laser- initiated subsurface expansion of the interstitial water trapped within the enamel and that by maintaining a thin film of water on the surface of the tooth, the efficiency of the laser ablation is enhanced. It has recently been suggested that a more aggressive ablative mechanism, designated as a hydrokinetic effect, occurs when atomized water droplets, introduced between the erbium laser and the surface of the tooth, are accelerated in the laser’s field and impact the tooth’s surface. It is the objective of this study to determine if the proposed hydrokinetic effect exists and to establish its contribution to the dental hard tissue ablation process. Two commercially available dental laser systems were employed in the hard tissue ablation studies. One system employed a water irrigation system in which the water was applied directly to the tooth, forming a thin film of water on the tooth’s surface. The other system employed pressurized air and water to create an atomized mist of water droplets between the laser hand piece and the tooth. The ablative properties of the two lasers were studied upon hard inorganic materials, which were void of any water content, as well as dental enamel, which contained interstitial water within its crystalline structure. In each case the erbium laser beam was moved across the surface of the target material at a constant velocity. When exposing material void of any water content, no ablation of the surfaces was observed with either laser system. In contrast, when the irrigated dental enamel was exposed to the laser radiation, a linear groove was formed in the enamel surface. The volume of ablated dental tissue associated with each irrigation method was measured and plotted as a function of the energy within the laser pulse. Both dental laser systems exhibited similar enamel ablation rates and comparable ablated surface characteristics. The results of the study suggest that, although the manner in which the water irrigation was introduced differed, the mechanism by which the enamel was removed appeared basically the same for both dental laser systems, namely rapid subsurface expansion of the interstitially trapped water. It is the conclusion of this study that if the proposed hydrokinetic effect exists, it is not effective on hard materials, which are void of water, and it does not contribute in any significant degree in the ablation of dental enamel.

Hey Ron ……..is there an echo in here……….

I have been saying that for a while.

Biolase does an excellent job marketing their product and Imean it……….they do a wonderful job.

The company is very aggressive in getting FDA approvals.

They throw great parties, and are Number 1 in sales.

It doesnt work on hydrokinetics………

The Hoya Con Bio cuts soft tissue very very nicely and with minimal bleeding.

IT cuts similarly to the Biolase in enamel.

THe Hoya is extemely stable. For those that doubt me , privately email me and I will give you a list of 6 people to phone, email etc. who have both the Waterlase and the Hoya Con Bio in their office and they can tell you which one they prefer.

Ask Bill Greider about his preferences and why.

Glenn

Hi Ron,

Thanks for posting the abstract.

Andrew

Nice job Ron!

Bob

Hi Mark: Dont misunderstand me, in that I really wasnt pointing any fingers at anyone with respect to training or what any rep says.

I have mentioned numerous times that any rep be it Continuum , Biolase , Opus Dent or any of the soft tissue laser companies will try to take advantage of any opportunity to promote their product or tear down the other. ITs human nature.

Andrew as for the 3 minute thing and turning off that is erroneous. The unit goes into standby if you dont press down on the foot pedal for 3 minute it will automatically go off. If you use it continuous or even intermittent in that time it will not shut off. Its a safety measure.

Finally, I am beyond bickering with Keith or Biolase , in fact I got an email from Keith yesterday laughing about the t-shirt that he gave me because i sent him the photos and i promised to buy him a beer in Anaheim.

We agree to disagree on certain issues but remain mutually respectful of the role each plays in the laser field.

All the best Mark……….editing my videos today.

Glenn