Utilization of carbon dioxide laser therapy in the management of denture-induced hyperplasia and vestibuloplasty in a medically compromised patient: A case report

This case history reports the treatment of a Caucasian woman in her mid-70s who was medically compromised and on anticoagulant medication. She presented with three lesions: the first was located in the mandibular buccal mucosa, extending into the regions of the mandibular left and right second premolars, the second in the maxillary right region, and the third in the junction between the hard and soft palates. Carbon dioxide laser therapy was chosen as a treatment modality and was utilized at a lower power setting of 1.62 W in a gated mode (50% on, 50% off) for excision of these lesions and for increasing the depth of the mandibular buccal vestibule. The average power was 0.81 W, and the spot area was 0.8 mm. In terms of pain, infection, and bleeding, minimal to no postoperative complications were reported, and better healing was observed within 2 weeks. Carbon dioxide laser therapy at a lower power setting is a minimally invasive tool that proved in the present case to have greater benefits in the management of oral soft tissue lesions in a medically compromised patient.