Analgesic device

Abstract

A dental procedure performed on target tissue without anesthetic or anesthesia including preconditioning the target tissue using a laser device constructed to produce light in a wavelength range of 2750 nm to 11500 nm, to provide an energy fluence in a range of 50 J/cm 2 to 100 J/cm 2 , and to operate in a free running pulsed mode providing 60 μm bursts at a frequency of at least 50 Hz. Preconditioning includes selecting a combination of average optical output power and preconditioning time to administer low level laser therapy. The laser device is adjusted to deliver light through the light guide of the laser device at the selected average optical output power. Light delivered through the light guide of the adjusted laser device is directed toward the target tissue for the selected preconditioning time providing analgesia to the target tissue. Oral tissue is removed from the preconditioned target tissue during analgesia.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A laser device for performing a procedure on tissue in a living animal to reduce pain perceived by the animal without anesthetic or anesthesia, said device comprising:
 a housing;   a laser unit mounted in the housing, said laser unit being configured to produce light having a center wavelength in a wavelength range of 750 nm to 1400 nm; and   a handpiece operatively connected to the laser unit for administering a low level laser therapy dose having said energy fluence, the handpiece including an operational end through which light produced by the laser unit is emitted from a fixed location on the operational end and in a fixed direction relative to the operational end when administering the low level laser therapy dose to the tissue, said handpiece being configured to maintain a target distance through ambient air between the operational end and the tissue that is selected to ensure light emitted through the operational end is projected onto an area on the animal of one square centimeter when administering the low level laser therapy dose to the tissue.   
     
     
         21 . A laser device as set forth in  claim 20 , wherein the laser unit comprises a diode laser constructed to produce light having a center wavelength selected from a group of wavelengths consisting of 800 nm, 810 nm, 815 nm, 940 nm, 980 nm, and 1040 nm. 
     
     
         22 . A laser device as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the diode laser emits light in a continuous wave. 
     
     
         23 . A laser device as set forth in  claim 20 , further comprising a distance guide configured for selective attachment to the handpiece adjacent the operational end of the operational end and having a length sized for maintaining the target distance selected to ensure light emitted through the operational end is projected on the one square centimeter area of the animal. 
     
     
         24 . A laser device as set forth in  claim 23 , wherein the distance guide is cylindrical and surrounds the operational end of the operational end when the distance guide is attached to the handpiece. 
     
     
         25 . (canceled)