Patent ID: 7621745
Filing Date: 2009-11-24
Classification: A61C,A61N,A61P

Abstract:
1. A method for the treatment of periodontal disease in a periodontal or periimplant tissue of a patient having periodontal disease or periimplant disease, the method comprising: applying a chromophore dye to tissue and biofilm, resulting in stained biofilm and target tissue, wherein the dye preferentially absorbs light energy in an absorption band spectral range; energizing a laser and sending resulting output laser radiation through an optical fiber comprising a core surrounded by a cladding to an unclad tip of the optical fiber, wherein the laser radiation comprises at least one wavelength in a range from about 800 nm to about 1100 nm; causing the unclad tip to contact at least a portion of the stained biofilm and target tissue: delivering the laser radiation to the target tissue to form carbonized material; accumulating the carbonized material on the unclad tip; forming a hot tip from the carbonized material accumulated on the unclad portion of the optical fiber by heating the carbonized material to a temperature of about 600 K to about 1500 K in response to the laser radiation to cause the hot tip to emit secondary quantum emissions of incandescent radiation, at least a portion of said incandescent radiation having wavelengths corresponding to the absorption band spectral range of the dye, and wherein the dye more preferentially absorbs light at wavelengths corresponding the secondary quantum emissions than at wavelengths corresponding to the laser radiation; irradiating the stained target tissue and biofilm with the secondary quantum emissions emitted from the hot tip; and effecting treatment of the stained biofilm and/or target tissue by the absorption of the secondary quantum emissions by the dye on the stained biofilm and target tissue without causing substantial thermal damage to healthy tissue peripheral to the target area.