Minimizing risk of infection using a carbon dioxide laser.

The carbon dioxide laser is a surgical device increasingly important to dentistry. The advantages of laser use in the treatment of oral disease have been well documented. Such benefits include bloodless incisions, accurate tissue destruction, reduced pain, minimal swelling, excellent hemostasis, and limited postoperative tissue morbidity. Little information exists currently regarding laser use in the management of medically complex patients, most notably patients with infectious diseases. This article reports the use of the carbon dioxide laser for reducing the risks of disease transmission in the surgical management of an human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seropositive patient.