“Treatment by lasers continues to be an important tool in dentistry for providing comfort to patients,” stated Dr. Sivakumar Manickam, Associate Professor, Department of Sciences at the Amrita School of Engineering, Coimbatore.

Dr. Sivakumar recently authored a text book titled Excimer Laser Processing of Dental Tissues. The book was published in December 2011 by Lambert Academic Publishing.

Now available for sale around the world and also online, the book is priced $77 in the US, 59€ in Europe and Rs. 4000 in India.

Dr. Sivakumar studied the morphology, structural and chemical changes induced in human dental tissues by excimer laser processing as part of his doctoral work during 2003-2007 at Instituto Superior Technico, Lisbon Technical University in Portugal.

An excimer laser is a form of ultraviolet laser which is commonly used not only in dental surgery but also eye surgery as well as for the production of microelectronic devices and micro-machining.

In his research, Dr. Sivakumar studied the processing of hard dental tissues, both enamel and dentin in vivo, using excimer laser radiation. He examined how changed in radiation fluence and number of pulses, for example, can give varying results.

He also sought to establish more possible applications of excimer laser processing including treatment for dental hypersensitivity and restorative dentistry.

“In general, the aim of my work was to establish the scientific basis for the application of short pulse duration ultraviolet lasers in dentistry,” Dr. Sivakumar stated.

The new book presents his insights, focusing on the needs of undergraduate and postgraduate students of dentistry as well as research scholars studying interaction of lasers and tissue.

The book is divided into 9 chapters and has 140 pages.

The first three chapters explain basic concepts of laser radiation, radiation absorption mechanisms, pulsed laser ablation and the enamel and dentin structure of the human tooth.

Chapter four details experimental methods used, including descriptions of the optical system, auxiliary equipment and characterization instruments. Chapters five through nine elaborate on the surface treatment of enamel and dentin, sealing of human dentinal tubules and laser treatment for enamel and dentin adhesion.

Many electron microscopy images of the treated tissue surfaces are included for the benefit of dentistry students and researchers.

Dr. Sivakumar plans to now offer new elective courses in this area. Amrita’s e-learning platform would easily allow the dentistry students in Kochi to attend classes offered by the professor in the Coimbatore campus.

February 13, 2012
School of Engineering, Coimbatore