Photomedicine/photodentistry (either alone or combination with drug or molecule) is the most inspiring and interdisciplinary branch of medicine/dentistry based on molecular photobiology that involves the study and application of ultraviolet radiation and visible lights with respect to health and diseases. This branch of medicine and dentistry in concern with therapeutic applications of light is widely known as phototherapy. Phototherapy can be again divided into few more specialized sections as follows:
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Ultraviolet phototherapy
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Photodynamic therapy
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Low-level laser (light) therapy
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Laser surgeries
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Phototherapy for other applications.
Phototherapy has been contributed in medicine and dentistry in variety of procedures such as:
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Soft tissue excision and biopsy in dentistry • Dermatology in medicine
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Radiology
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Surgery
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As a diagnostic instrument
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Cardiology.
The wavelength of light is very important in two ways when it is going to be used on human skin:
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Wavelength of lightshould be in control limits when this light energy penetrates into the skin
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Each type of molecules in the skin absorbs specific wavelength.
Use of photomedicine in dentistry:
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Primary use of photographs is to assist operator in clinical examination (used as diagnostic tool)
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Oral lesions can be used in diagnosis and knowing of etiology of lesion from photography, for example, developmental defect of enamel
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It can be used in legal documentation and in forensic documentation
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It can be used in publishing and documenting the patient’s images
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It can be used to treat oral diseases
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It can be used in targeted therapies in cancer and in infectious diseases (recent).
The choice of visible lights or ultraviolet light either for clicking images or for treating the patients is increasing every day. Some of the queries need to be solved for more use of this phototherapy in medicine or dentistry as follows:
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a. Can effect of light energy be controlled?
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b. Benefits and adverse effects of light?