Objective: Between a quarter and a third of adults with intellectual disability is estimated to have dental anxiety. Unpleasant stimuli, such as the injection of local anaesthesia or the noise and vibration of rotary instruments, may provoke anxiety and subsequent low compliance until the opposition to the treatment. The use of Er:YAG laser in conservative dentistry had a great development in these last years thank to new devices and also to their advantages when compared to the conventional instruments. The aim of this clinical study was to show the advantages of the Er:YAG laser in the conservative treatment of Special Care patients.
Methods: Four cases are here described to show the Er:YAG laser use in our Unit on special needs patients.
Results and conclusions: Based on the experience gained on conservative laser-assisted treatments performed in a time of 5 years at our Dentistry, Special Needs and Maxillo-Facial Surgery Unit we may affirm that Er:YAG laser may be considered as a good way to improve the cooperation, to reduce anxiety related to rotating instruments and to reach better results with equal or shorter operating times.
Keywords: Er:YAG laser; conservative dentistry; special care; special needs patients.