Objective: It is the aim of this study to evaluate if the CO2 laser can beneficially be applied for excising epulides.
Background data: The standard procedure for treating epulides involves the excision of the hyperplastic tissue followed in most cases by the removal of parts of the underlying bone and the final closure of the wound by a flap. The use of the CO2 laser for the treatment of epulides has been documented only in isolated case reports and very few case series.
Patients and methods: Ninety patients with different subtypes of epulides were treated with a CO2 laser (Lasram, model OPAL 25, 25 W, 10.600 nm, gas laser); power setting 4 W, continuous wave. The surgery was performed only after a pretreatment could remedy any gingivitis or occlusal trauma. A new surgical way of working using a special applicator that allowed tangential application of the laser beam was applied for all patients. Patients were followed up to 3 years.
Results: No perioperative complications or recurrences after 4 weeks could be found. Six patients were lost to further follow-up, whereas 84 patients were followed up to 36 months. In 71 cases there were no recurrences over the entire observation period. Thirteen patients developed a relapse, usually a fibroma/fibrosis according to histopathological evaluation.
Conclusions: Overall CO2 laser seems to be an adequate tool for minimally invasive excision of epulides, although the respective histopathological entity could possibly influence the recurrence rate and so should be considered.
Keywords: CO2 laser; epulis; minimal invasive surgery.