Iraqi Journal of Laser

Objective: Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis (RAS) is a common, painful, and recurrent oral condition characterized by ulcer formation. Its pathogenesis is multifactorial, involving genetic, immunological, and environmental factors. conventional methods like topical anesthetics, such as benzocaine. Mouth rinses containing hydrogen peroxide, chlorhexidine, or dexamethasone. Corticosteroid ointments, such as fluocinonide, beclomethasone, or hydrocortisone hemosuccinate, primarily focus on symptom relief rather than cure. Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has emerged as a promising treatment modality, offering minimal invasiveness and effective healing.
Case Presentation: A 28-year-old female patient presented with a painful ulceration (6*5mm) with edematous border on the lateral surface of her tongue, after clinical examination (ulcer duration and frequency, the number of ulcers present, their shape and size, location, and specific characteristics such as the edges, base, and the condition of the surrounding tissues). and the medical history of the patient diagnosed as Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis. The condition is treated by using low-level diode laser therapy. using a diode laser 980 nm with the power set at 1W, a non-contact laser application. The distance between the laser probe’s tip and the ulcer surface was meticulously maintained at 10mm. A single laser treatment session consisted of four 30-second applications, separated by a 15-second interval. The cumulative laser application time amounted to approximately 120 seconds.
Conclusion: Low-level diode laser therapy significantly reduces pain, lesion size, and edema in RAS patients, while improving patient satisfaction, functional ability, and reducing Interleukin-1 beta (IL1β), Transforming Growth Factor-beta 1 ( TGFβ-1) serum levels.

This paper uses the finite element method (FEM) to study a Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) refractive index sensor based on D-shaped Polarization Maintain Photonic Crystal Fiber (PM-PCF). A chemically stable plasmonic material, gold (Au), with hemispherical structures having a radius of 50 nm, is applied to the surface of a D-shaped sensor to create the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect, enabling this SPR sensor to detect variation in the surrounding analyte refractive index (RI). The resonance condition will change when the refractive index of the targeted analyte changes, leading to a certain shift in the loss peak. Two resonant peaks are observed, one located in the visible part of the spectrum, and the second in the near-infrared region. Our suggested design offers a high wavelength sensitivity (WS) of 5176 nm/RIU and the spectral resolution for this sensor is 1.93 x 10-5 RIU, for y-polarization. For x-polarization, the wavelength sensitivity of the 1st and 2nd peaks are 1058 nm/RIU and 3764 nm/RIU, respectively. The spectral resolution for the 1st and 2nd peaks is 9.45x 10-5 RIU and 2.65x 10-5 RIU, respectively in the high sensing range of 1.34 to 1.41 RIU. The results show that this improves the sensor’s ability to detect the refractive index. The proposed SPR sensor design has high sensitivity, high resolution, and high linearity, a promising result that could be used in environmental monitoring, biological detection, physical sensors, and chemical analysis. e

This research introduces a novel approach to enhancing solar-to-hydrogen (STH) efficiency by applying laser illumination with the assistance of a UV source to illuminate the photoanode in photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells, representing a significant departure from conventional methods relying solely on solar light. The photoanode was fabricated using a (CeO₂ and Cu) nanoparticles thin film through the drop-casting method, the materials were chosen for their favorable optical and electronic properties, which are key in improving the hydrogen production rate. What sets this study apart is the innovative use of laser illumination, which allows for more precise and concentrated light absorption that match the materials\' absorption peaks compared to the broad spectrum of traditional sunlight. The structural properties of the materials were examined using X-Ray diffraction (XRD), (FE-SEM) to get the cross-sectional image and the optical properties were characterized by the UV-VIS-NIR spectrophotometer. Photoelectrochemical measurements were carried out by linear sweep voltammetry in the dark and under illumination condition AM 1.5 G of 100 mW/cm2.Our findings reveal that under laser and UV illumination, the PEC cell substantially improves photocurrent density and efficiency by 12.3%, outperforming traditional solar light irradiation with an efficiency of 5.5%. This work sets a new direction for PEC cell optimization by demonstrating the effectiveness of laser-assisted light in boosting hydrogen production, representing a significant step forward in renewable energy research.

Background: Male Circumcision is one of the most common surgical procedures performed in children. The indications for circumcision differ from country to country and might include both medical and religious ones. Several different surgical procedures for circumcision have been documented, with various results and complications.
Aim of study: to evaluate the safety, effectiveness of the use of CO2 laser in circumcision and asses any possible post-operative complication(s).
Patients, Materials & Methods: A prospective study was done for 26 patients who were circumcised by using a CO2 laser at 10600 nm from PLATIN, using continuous wave (CW) power that is set at 6 W with different exposure times during the period from June to August 2022. The patients had been operated under local anesthesia. In all cases, the parents had requested circumcision for religious reasons. The patients were followed up for 14 days, and reported having one or more complications postoperatively (if any).
Results: The patients were grouped into three age groups based on their age: the first group was 6–12 months old, the second group was 13–24 months old, and the final group was 25–36 months old, with a mean age of 14.7 ± 8.7 months. All patients had a single-session operation. Twenty patients (76.92%) had moderate pain, four patients (15.38%) had mild pain, and two patients (7.7%) had severe pain. Twenty patients (76.92%) had no bleeding; six patients (23.07%) had bleeding and were treated conservatively. Twenty-four patients (92.3%) had no infection, and only two patients (7.7%) developed a simple surgical site wound infection. Regarding the edema, four patients (15.4%) suffers of null degree: 12 patients (46.2%) of 1st degree: 8 patients (30.8%) of 2nd degree; and 2 patients (7.6%) of 3rd degree after four hours; while 17 patients (65.4%) suffers of null degree; 5 patients (19.2%) of 1st degree; 3 patients (11.5%) of 2nd degree; and 1 patient (3.9%) of 3rd degree after 7 days. 18 patients (69.2%) were completely satisfied. The operative time is less than that of conventional methods. All the patients were discharged after half an hour.
Conclusion: A CO2 laser circumcision is a safe and effective procedure, and the device is very beneficial due to precise results with decreased pain, infection, bleeding, and edema following surgery.

Abstract: Periodontitis is a chronic, complex inflammatory condition linked to dysbiotic plaque biofilms and marked by the progressive deterioration of the tooth-supporting structures. Porphyromonas gingivalis, a critical periodontal infection, is known to significantly contribute to the onset and advancement of periodontal illnesses by inducing a dysbiotic alteration in the overall, particularly sub-gingival, gram-positive and gram-negative periodontal microbiota. Conventional therapies, including scaling and root planing (SRP), seek to eliminate plaque and tartar from the surfaces of teeth and subgingival areas. Nonetheless, these treatments are accompanied by certain limitations.The advent of diode lasers has demonstrated potential as an adjuvant therapy, possibly improving the results of traditional treatments.
Aim of the study: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of the diode laser as an adjunctive treatment modality for nonsurgical treatment versus SRP only on the colony-forming unit (CFU) of the Porphyromonas gingivalis in patients with periodontitis.
Material and methods: This research was structured as a singular, randomized controlled, split-mouth clinical experiment. Twenty-five persons (11 females and 14 men aged 20 to 56 years) diagnosed with periodontitis, participated in this research. Following primary periodontal treatment, which included dental hygiene guidelines and scaling procedures, each patient underwent two separate treatments on opposing sides of the mouth. The left side was designated as the test group, while the right side was allocated to the control group. Randomization was accomplished by a coin toss to guarantee impartial allocation.In the test group(left side) patients underwent scaling and root planing (SRP) in conjunction with diode laser therapy; in the opposing control group (right side) they received scaling and root planing (SRP) treatment exclusively. The laser was set at a 1.5 W, continuous wave, 400 μm tip, contact, and sweeping technique. 50 Subgingival plaque samples were taken after recording periodontal parameters, plaque index(PI), bleeding on probing(BOP), periodontal pocket depth(PPD), and clinical attachment loss (CAL) at baseline before, immediately after 3 days, 1 week, and 12 weeks post-treatment. Microbiological assessments focused on the colony-forming unit of Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.G). Colony-forming units (CFU) were enumerated for each group for 48-72 hours on a suitable culture medium following serial dilution. Clinically isolated bacteria were confirmed by using the biochemical test, microscopic examination,viteck II system, and finally by PCR technique (16S rRNA).
Result: Colony-forming units (CFU) reduced with both forms of treatment and did not return to the initial concentrations three months after therapy. The SRP plus the diode laser group exhibited significantly higher reductions in bacterial levels of P. gingival is at 3 days, 1 week, and 3 months after treatment in comparison to SRP treatments alone.

Surface Plasmon sensor is commonly used in chemistry, biologic, and environments nursing. This type of sensor display strange sympathy depends on surfaces Plasmon resonance (SPRs) or localize surfaces Plasmon resonance (LSPRs) effect, which have a commercial application. In this review, we present current progressing in the fields of surfaces plasmatic sensor, principally in the configuration of planar Meta structure and optical-fiber waveguide. In the Meta structures platforms, the optical sensor depend on LSPRs, hyperbolic dispersions, Fanon resonance, and two-dimension (2Ds) material integrations are presented. The optical-fiber sensor integration with LSPRs/SPRs structure and 2D material are summarizing. In addition, we introduced the current advance in quantum plasmatic sensors beyond the classic shot noisy limitation. The challenge and opportunity in this arena is deliberated. The LSPRs biosensor, enabling Nano scale limitation and manipulations of lights, compromise the enhance sensitivity and electromagnetics energies localizations. The combination of LSPRs and fibers-optics techniques is managed to progress the sensors compacts to reduction and remotes recognizing. These comprehensive reviews explore numerous sensors configuration, fibers categories, and geometric outlines, highlight their benefit in term of sensitivities, integrations, and performances improvements. The fabrication technique effort on non-chemical bond strategy and self-assemble of nanoparticle discusses and provide controlling over nanostructures morphologies and enhanced the sensors performances. Bio-application of fiber-optics LSPRs (FOLSPRs) sensor is comprehensive, definitely in bio-molecular interaction and analyze of protein, pathogen and cell, nucleic acid (DNAs and RNAs). Surfaces modifications and recognition structures are emphasizing for their probable in label-free and real-times bio senses. The challenge and prospect of FOLSPRs sensor is addresses, with the development in sensitivities, fabrications technology, and measurements reliabilities. Integrations with developing technology like Nano-material is highlight as a capable directions for upcoming researches. These reviews provide insight into the advancement and possible application of FOLSPRs sensor, pavement the technique for sensitive and adaptable optical bio-sense platform in several arenas. e

Background: Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are a complex group of conditions impacting the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and masticatory muscles, leading to pain, reduced jaw mobility, and other debilitating symptoms. These conditions often result from multifactorial causes, including malocclusion, trauma, stress, and parafunctional habits. Effective treatment is challenging, necessitating innovative therapeutic approaches.
Aim: This study compares the efficacy of two low-level laser therapy (LLLT) modalities with wavelengths of 635 nm and 980 nm in managing TMD symptoms. The goal is to determine which wavelength provides superior short-term and long-term therapeutic outcomes in pain relief, improved mouth function, and reduction of tender points.
Materials and methods: Fifty patients with diagnosed temporomandibular disorder (TMD) were randomized into two groups. Group 1 received 635 nm low-level laser therapy (LLLT) , while Group 2 was treated with 980 nm low-level laser therapy( LLLT). Pain levels, mouth opening range, and the number of tender points were measured before each treatment and at a one-month follow-up. The treatment was administered in continuous mode, with a power output of 0.3 Watts (W). Irradiation time was 30 seconds per tender point, with a total of four treatment sessions (two sessions per week). A follow-up assessment was conducted one month after the completion of the treatment protocol. Data was analyzed using appropriate statistical methods to evaluate the efficacy of the treatments.
Result: The 635 nm laser group experienced significantly greater reductions in pain intensity (p = 0.025) and fewer tender points in the masseter muscle (p = 0.048) compared to the 980 nm laser group during the short-term evaluation. However, no significant differences were observed between the two groups at the one-month follow-up.
Conclusion: The 635 nm laser demonstrated superior short-term efficacy in reducing pain and masseter tender points, whereas both wavelengths were equally effective in the long term. These findings highlight the importance of wavelength selection in optimizing low-level laser therapy (LLLT) protocols for temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) management. Further research is needed to explore the mechanisms underlying these differences and to identify the optimal parameters for sustained therapeutic outcomes.

To assess the therapeutic efficacy of fractional CO₂ laser and MI varnish alone and their combined effects in two cases ( CO₂ Laser before and after the application of MI varnish). Method: 60 enamel samples were prepared, and then the samples were passed through the pH cycling process to induce a demineralized enamel surface. The samples were categorized into five groups: control, CO₂ laser, MI varnish, CO₂ laser with MI varnish, and MI varnish with CO₂ laser. Surface alterations were evaluated using the Vickers microhardness assessment, surface roughness, and the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) combined with the Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDX).Results: All of the microhardness results were diminished after the demineralization process, and then subsequently, the different treatments enhanced the demineralized enamel surface with no notable distinction among the treatment groups. The surface roughness data showed improved surface roughness in the CO₂ laser-containing groups. The surface morphology and mineral weight were enhanced after the treatments.
All treatment groups were effective in enhancing the microhardness, roughness, and surface morphology in comparison to the control group, preferring the simultaneous application of CO₂ laser and MI varnish in both instances (similar results).

This case report evaluates the clinical outcomes of oral fibroma excision using a 980 nm diode laser, focusing on its effectiveness in reducing postoperative discomfort, promoting healing, and improving esthetic outcomes. A 980 nm diode laser was used in CW mode at 2 watts of power to remove two fibrous masses on the buccal mucosa from a 65-year-old male patient who had presented with these lesions. The procedure was performed under local anesthesia using 2% lidocaine with 1:80,000 epinephrine. Postoperative evaluations were performed at follow-up visits on the 3rd day, 1st week, 2nd week, and 4th week to evaluate bleeding, pain, edema, functional interference, mucosal scarring, and healing through standardized clinical indices. At each follow-up visit, photographic documentation was collected to objectively track the healing progress. The procedure resulted in no bleeding, no postoperative swelling, and mild pain that did not necessitate analgesics. The recovery of function was swift. Esthetic evaluation revealed no scarring on the left side and a minor scar on the right side, with excellent overall appearance. The left fibroma site underwent complete healing by the second week, whereas the right site necessitated four weeks for full reepithelialization. The results showed that the 980 nm diode laser is a suitable substitute for traditional scalpels for oral soft tissue surgery, with few complications, mild pain after the procedure, and fast healing time. This case highlights the clinical advantages of diode lasers in minor oral surgical procedures and supports their broader adoption in clinical practice.

Metasurface polarizers are essential optical components in modern integrated optics and play a vital role in many optical applications including Quantum Key Distribution systems in quantum cryptography. However, inverse design of metasurface polarizers with high efficiency depends on the proper prediction of structural dimensions based on required optical response. Deep learning neural networks can efficiently help in the inverse design process, minimizing both time and simulation resources requirements, while better results can be achieved compared to traditional optimization methods. Hereby, utilizing the COMSOL Multiphysics Surrogate model and deep neural networks to design a metasurface grating structure with high extinction ration of 60000 at visible spectral wavelength of 632 nm, could be achieved.