CAO Group has gained U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for its newest laser device, the Precise SHP, a diode laser with a unique twist the company believes will customers will find attractive: an Apple iPod Touch controller.
The Precise SHP is the first diode laser with an iPod Touch mobile touchscreen interface to receive FDA clearance for various procedures, according to CAO.
The Precise SHP diode laser with an Apple iPod Touch controller. Image courtesy of CAO Group.According to CAO, practitioners using the Precise SHP will be able to do the following:
- Shape gingival contours
- Achieve hemostasis
- Remove inflamed tissue
- Debride periodontal pockets
- Offer in-office professional teeth whitening
- Provide temporary pain relief for soft tissue, joints, muscles
The system comes with 21 presets, including crown lengthening, troughing, gingivectomy, curettage, distal wedge, frenectomy, peri-implantitis, and implant exposure. Users can also create their own settings, according to Steve Hardy, vice president of marketing and sales.
The device avoids the difficulties of using a scalpel and eliminates issues related to electrosurgery, the company noted.
"Many dentists will refer anything requiring a scalpel to an oral surgeon," stated John Flucke, DDS, a dental technology expert, during a presentation at the recent California Dental Association fall meeting. "There's bleeding, postoperative pain, tissue recession ... but you don't get this with lasers. And the postoperative healing is amazing."
The Precise SHP is compact, lightweight (4 lb), and portable and can be mounted on the dental chair for easy access and operated with the wireless foot pedal. It offers up to 3 W of power and three pulse modes -- 30%, 50%, and 75% -- as well as a continuous mode. It comes with various sterilized, disposable fiber tips and two specialty handpieces: one for pain relief and the other for whitening.
The system is Bluetooth- and WiFi-enabled, which means the iPod can be used for online communication, Internet browsing, and even playing music, Hardy noted. Practitioners can even use the iPod for real-time technical support and training through FaceTime.
The complete system -- which includes an iPod already loaded with the system controller app -- sells for $6,000. It is distributed exclusively by Henry Schein.
