The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted a patent to Biolase's non-contact handpiece designed for cutting both hard and soft tissue.
The non-contact laser handpiece, which the company claims, is the only one that is user-replaceable with multiple configurations of focal spot sizes and optimal operational distances, uses Biolase's WaterLase all-tissue lasers for cutting.
The handpiece also includes optical components that provide a high-density, uniform laser beam at a specific distance from the target tissue.
Biolase chief technology officer Dmitri Boutoussov said, "The wide range of microlense tips in our non-contact handpiece gives us the opportunity to expand on the remarkable clinical benefits of BIOLASE's unique WaterLase patented technology in both dental and other medical applications, such as orthopedics and ophthalmology."
Biolase chairman and chief executive officer Federico Pignatelli said the new patent further expands and protects the company's WaterLase technology.
"This patent should limit the ability of our competitors to challenge our market-leading position in laser dentistry and all-tissue lasers," Pignatelli added.
"Our non-contact handpieces should also drastically contribute to safeguarding patients from the risks of cross contamination and move dental practices closer to providing truly safe and infection-free oral healthcare."
