An introduction to laser

Abstract

For a better understanding of the special advantages of laser light in oral and maxillofacial surgery, we need to know the principle of generation of laser light and the properties that distinguishes it from conventional light or other energy sources, as well as, how a laser works and the different types of lasers that can be used in medical applications. Light theory branches into the physics of quantum mechanics, which was conceptualized in the twentieth century. Quantum mechanics deals with behavior of nature on the atomic scale or smaller. This chapter briefly deals with an introduction to laser, properties of laser light, and laser-beam propagation. It begins with a short overview of the theory about the dual nature of light (particle or wave) and discusses the propagation of laser beam, special properties of laser light, and the different types of lasers that are used in medical applications.