ALL DIODE LASERS ARE NOT THE SAME
Regardless of what some manufacturers say, all diode lasers are NOT the same. A recent testimonial by a dentist endorsing an economy laser said “all diode lasers are the same, so you should buy the cheapest one”. Is a camera a camera? A TV a TV? A car a car? Of course not! The basis technology is the same, but the details are not. Here are some facts and opinions about laser manufacturing from an expert, a physicist with a PhD in lasers and advanced optics, Dr George Bekov.
WHAT MAKES A LASER DIFFERENT?
ENERGY CONTROL: Has the laser been calibrated? Calibration is pairing the energy readout (1 watt etc) with the energy at the fiber tip. Laser modules from the factory are different and calibration must be done to insure patient comfort and safety. Without calibration the energy of each laser built will be different by up to +/- 50% and some lasers will vary with each use! Calibration can only be done by an expert.
LONGEVITY: What is the life expectancy of a diode lasers module? The Beamer STL’s module has an estimated life expectancy of 15+ years. Some diode laser modules can degrade and burn out in as little as 12–18 months. (differences in modules are explained later)
QUALITY OF ASSEMBLY: Who builds the laser ? Is it temp workers or a trained laser expert? Beamer STL's are built by a laser scientist with a PhD in lasers and advanced optics.
**We know from experience that lasers built by unskilled labor and temp workers have quality problems. We also know that a laser physicist pays attention to every detail and anything less than absolute perfection is not allowed to be shipped.**
Does the laser have a Bundled Fiber Diode Module or a Single Fiber “Focused” diode Module?…Extremely Important!
Focused Beam Laser Module
"THE QUALITY OF THE LASER MODULE IS THE MAJOR DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A QUALITY LASER AND AN INFERIOR LASER!"
In high quality laser, like the Beamer STL, the laser beam travels from a chip through a series of mirrors and focusing lenses (the higher the quality of the lenses the more focused the beam) directly through the connector to the delivery fiber without energy loss. They do not lose power. A quality focused beam laser module has been proven to have a lifetime of 5000 hrs of use, well over 15 years. The original diode lasers, (Premier & ADT) that came to dentistry in 1996, had focused beam modules and most are still in use today. These Modules can be highly calibrated to insure consistent and accurate energy delivery “at the tip”. This is critical for a laser to produce consistent, predictable and accurate results. The industry standard for calibration of a diode laser with this type of module is +/- 15%. The Beamer STL is calibrated to +/- 2%...that is incredible accuracy. The bundled fiber diodes discussed next cannot be calibrated and the energy at the tip vs the reading on the unit can fluctuate wildly and be off by +/- 50%
Bundled Fiber Laser Module
(used in inferior, cheap, poorly designed lasers)
A bundled fiber module is an inexpensive inferior quality alternative. It consists of several small chips each with its own fiber. The fibers are bundled together and glued with epoxy. The bundle tip must be perfectly level (no focusing lenses) to deliver an even beam into the connector. It is near impossible for a professional laser physicist to get the fibers perfectly level. For a mass produced laser, assembled by unskilled labor, you can imagine the inconsistent results from laser to laser. This causes beam (heat) scattering and rebound at the connection. The rebounding heat causes the epoxy to boil and bubble leaving residue and soot covering the fiber tips. The clinician will notice decreased power after a few uses. The residue increases with each use and eventually completely blocks the energy from passing through the fiber. The energy will bounce back through the fiber and burn out the chip. Depending on use, this could occur in approximately 12-18 months. A bundled fiber module as we mentioned above cannot be calibrated. This can give wildly varying clinical results between lasers of the same manufacturer.
ENERGY CONTROL: For obvious reasons it is very important that you are able to control the energy (wattage).
The operating current that runs through the laser module determines the wattage. When manufacturing a laser you must control the voltage to control the current. Laser energy is heat and the module must be cooled. Lasers without a cooling system (most micro and wand type lasers) cannot be calibrated because the temperature of the module will vary during use. Smooth passage of energy from the laser to the tip is required to pair the wattage. A laser must be calibrated to insure patient comfort and safety.
PULSE MODE: An advanced pulse mode is essential for precision, control, patient comfort, and disinfection. All pulse modes are not the same.
CONTINUOUS WAVE & PULSE MODE: All current diode lasers provide laser energy in both continuous wave (CW) and pulsed (P) modes. CW is a constant beam of power best used for thick fibrous tissue, but does not allow for thermal relaxation of the tissue, while pulsed modes allow for thermal relaxation (cooling) between energy pulses. When using CW tissue charring and patient comfort may be an issue, both during the procedure and postoperatively. An advanced pulsed mode is certainly preferred over CW. The advantages are precision, control, patient comfort, and disinfection.
Our advantage with the Beamers very advanced pulse mode is to optimize energy deposition with appropriate pulse intervals in order to achieve maximum coagulation and disinfection while maintaining the proper tissue cooling cycle and patient comfort.
ALL PULSE MODES ARE NOT THE SAME:
Outdated standard pulse mode: The Standard “old fashioned” gated or chopped pulse mode that many diode lasers provide. The beam is on and off 1/2 time, commonly called 50% duty cycle. The laser pulses 10-25 number per second depending on your watts setting. In other words, a long pulse and long pause. The target tissue receives only 1/2 the power setting and low powered lasers of 2-3 Watts simply cannot cut fibrous tissue. These lasers also do not deliver an adequate energy burst for essential bactericidal action. CW is the preferred mode for those who own a 50% duty time laser and must deal with patient sensitivity issues.
Beamer STL’s Pulse Mode: Years of medical community research influenced Dr. Bekov to create a pulse mode using short pulses with a duration of 10 millionths of a second at high amplitude. These power levels are high enough to cause coagulation of surface tissue and have bactericidal properties. Beamer STL’s automatically adjust the pulse width depending on the wattage setting. The higher the wattage, the longer the width, but still allowing time for the tissue cooling. Your power setting is the average power of the pulses. The self adjusting pulse will deliver an average power that insures patient comfort and greatly reduces or prevents tissue charring. Research and clinical experience has led us to conclude that this combination of variable pulse width and pulse interval is optimal for laser performance and tissue health.
SIZE: Small micro lasers are very easy to drop! An iphone sized laser can be pulled off the counter. Some lasers have an external power larger than the laser itself.
ALL LASERS ARE NOT SAFETY TESTED TO MEDICAL STANDARDS: How do you know it was safety tested at all? Can you trust it because it was FDA approved?
TRAINING: King Dental offers numerous training and certification courses to meet any customer needs, from basic to highly advanced.
SUPPORT AND SERVICE HISTORY: Anyone can claim their lasers have few problems but, can they prove it. Out of over 1200 units sold since 2006, our manufacturer has replaced 2 foot controls...that's it!
NOT ALL LASERS HAVE AUTOCLAVABLE HAND PIECES: This is unbelievable but true! Some manufacturers say disinfection (wipe down) is adequate and others say their hand pieces don't require autoclaving since they have disposable sterile 3” tips, by the way these tips cost between $5-$9 each! It is common knowledge that an entire hand piece is exposed to aerosolized oral bacteria, not just the first 3”. Lawyers have a way of discovering these facts. Others have designs that are not conducive to the most basic infection control standards. If you can’t put barrier film over the touch pad, you are an infection transfer accident waiting to happen! The Beamer STL has hospital controls that can be covered with barrier film with no adverse effect on their operation.
BEWARE OF COMPANIES THAT ADVERTISE PRICE ONLY “WE ARE THE CHEAPEST”: Intelligent people certainly know “You get what you pay for”! Most “Bargain Basement” “Super Economy” lasers are reverse engineered copies made (or designed) in China by cutting every corner, eliminating energy calibration, and safety testing to medical standards. These discount lasers are usually assembled by temp workers and built with the least expensive laser module.
WHY PURCHASE A BEAMER STL?:
* Hand built In California with the highest quality components by a laser physicist (PhD) with 30 years experience manufacturing advanced medical and LASIK surgery lasers…and 15 years experience designing and manufacturing dental lasers.
* Our Beamer STL’s are hand built and calibrated to +/- 2% accuracy. This insures you accurate, consistant, and outstanding clinical performance.
* Our Beamer STL’s have the highest quality Single Fiber “Focused Beam” laser module, tested and proven to have a lifetime of 5000 hrs to exceed 15 years.
* The Beamer STL has an exclusive 200hz self adjusting pulse mode which is the most advanced pulse mode in dentistry. The combination of short pulses, with durations of 10 millionths of a second, and self adjusting pulse intervals achieves maximum coagulation and disinfection while insuring patient comfort and safety.
* Beamer’s are safety tested to “medical standards”…why would you use a laser that wasn’t?
* The Beamer’s 980 nm wavelength is superior. Studies prove the 980 wavelength is by far the most efficient with thermal depth of penetration 5 times less than 810nm, (cleaner and faster cutting with less charring and better patient comfort)
*Our laser manufacturer has best reliability record of any laser company and has maintained that honor for 15 consecutive years.
* A full time on-site laser physicist guarantees a quality product
* Numerous training options
* 3 year warranty for $5,995 makes the Beamer STL the best value on the market.
To order your Beamer STL call: 866-848-5720
