Comparison of soft and hard tissue ablation with sub-ps and ns pulse lasers

Tissue ablation with ultrashort laser pulses offers several unique advantages. The nonlinear energy deposition is insensitive to tissue type allowing this tool to be used for soft and hard tissue ablation. The localized energy deposition leads to precise ablation depth and minimal collateral damage. In this paper we will report on our efforts to study and demonstrate tissue ablation using an ultrashort pulse laser. The ablation efficiency, and extent of collateral damage for 0.3 ps and 1000 ps duration laser pulses will be compared. Temperature measurements of the rear surface of a tooth section will also be presented.