Treatment of oral leukoplakia with carbon dioxide and potassium-titanyl-phosphate lasers: a comparison.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether the treatment of oral leukoplakia with potassium-titanyl-phosphate (KTP) lasers versus CO(2) lasers results in lower recurrence rates.

METHODS

Retrospective data were collected from the records of 30 patients (mean age 75.6 years) with 35 primary oral leukoplakia who had their lesions ablated by KTP laser, and 45 patients (mean age 59.9 years) with 59 primary oral leukoplakia who had CO(2) laser treatment. The recurrence rates of lesions between these 2 groups was then compared.

RESULTS

A statistically significant (P = .049) reduction in recurrence rates for those patients treated with KTP lasers versus CO(2) lasers was found.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of KTP lasers for the treatment of oral leukoplakia may result in lower recurrence rates than when using CO(2) lasers.