LJUBLJANA, Slovenia: Fotona, developer and manufacturer of state-of-the-art laser systems for medical applications, has announced its schedule for the next Photon Induced Photoacoustic Streaming (PIPS) training courses. The courses – which include clinical lectures, lively discussions and live demonstrations – aim to equip participants with the necessary knowledge and skills to perform the PIPS procedure on their patients.

PIPS is a revolutionary method for cleaning and debriding the root-canal system using Er:YAG laser energy at sub-ablative power levels. The containment of the shockwaves optimises the effectiveness of the solutions by streaming them through the entire canal system. The canals and subcanals are left clean and the dentinal tubules are free of smear layer.

According to Fotona, PIPS is receiving immense attention from the dental community as a result of its advanced technology and superior performance. The procedure is also less invasive, as it preserves more tooth endoskeleton than traditional techniques. Moreover, there is no risk of tip breakage from curved canals and less filing and soaking time for chemical agents, which saves 20 to 30 minutes per canal.

The PIPS procedure can only be performed with specially designed Fotona fibre tips. The PIPS licence and fibre tips are included in the purchase of the following Fotona laser systems: LightWalker AT Expert, LightWalker AT Expert Plus, LightWalker DT Expert and LightWalker ST-E Expert.

For practitioners who purchased the Fidelis AT or Fidelis HT dental laser, the PIPS licence and fibre tips can be purchased from Fotona distribution partners, while older Fotona Er:YAG laser systems can be upgraded to support the PIPS treatment method.

PIPS training courses are organised and led by Giovanni Olivi MD, DDS, Advanced Center for Esthetic and Laser Dentistry, University of Genoa, a leading European PIPS expert. One such successful two-day PIPS root-canal therapy training course took place in October this year, in the dental offices of expert laser dentist, Dr. Peter Lundgren, in Malmö, Sweden. “Participants from all over Scandinavia were very excited about the advantages this revolutionary method, available only with Fotona dental lasers, offers,” Fotona stated.

Three PIPS training courses are scheduled for 2012. These will be held in Rome, Italy, and led by Dr. Giovanni Olivi on 27 and 28 January (register until 13 January), 13 and 14 April (register until 30 March) as well as 19 and 20 October (register until 5 October 2012).

During the first day of this two-day course, participants will cover root anatomy with old and new therapy options and learn about near and medium infrared lasers in endodontics. The hands-on session will enable participants to explore the photothermal and photoacoustic effects of lasers.

During the second day of the course, participants will learn about the aim of and physics behind PIPS, as well as the application of PIPS in root-canal cleaning, debriding and disinfection. The course will conclude with a final hands-on session, a review and a question and answer session, followed by a learning test.

To register for a training course, please contact Dr. Giovanni Olivi at olivilaser@gmail.com or call
+39 065815190.