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Initiating the Fiber
Some procedures call for the Fiber Tip to be ‘initiated.’ ‘Initiation’ prepares the tip of the fiber to retain heat by
fusing a thin layer of pigment on the end. The easiest way to initiate a tip is by lightly moving the end of the fiber
across a piece of articulating paper with the unit set to 1W CW (see below). The tip will retain pigment from the
paper and will glow. Do not exceed contact time of 1 second.
Setting Parameters:
Review your power and mode requirements and then depress the mode toggle button to select either
Continuous (CW) or Pulsed (P) mode operation. The mode you have selected will be identified by the
corresponding icon glowing green.
Select power output by pressing the up or down arrow buttons until you have reached the desired level. The
default power setting is 0.8 Watts and will be displayed in the LASER POWER window when the unit is
powered-up.
Hard Tissue Procedures:
The Sapphire Portable Diode Laser is not indicated for hard tissue procedures. The Sapphire Portable Diode
Laser is attracted to melanin, hemoglobin and to some extent to water and oxygenated hemoglobin. Avoid
prolonged exposure of the energy when working in and around the cervical areas of the tooth. Due to the thin
layer of enamel in this area, energy may be absorbed by the hemoglobin in the pulp and pulpal hyperemia
may occur. Extended exposure to such energy could cause patient discomfort and even lead to possible
pulpal necrosis.
Cleaning Instructions:
The Sapphire Portable Diode Laser Handpiece and power/communication cord should be cleaned using a
liquid disinfectant similar to BIREX or CIDEX. Do not spray disinfectant directly onto the Handpiece as this may
damage the ON/OFF switch or penetrate into the microprocessor or laser optics. Apply with a gauze sponge or
wipe. Please wear gloves.
Calibration:
The Sapphire Portable Diode Laser uses solid-state circuitry to continuously monitor power output and adjusts
the power supplied to the laser diode to maintain the output at the user defined setting. If the output levels are
more than ± 20% of the set value, the unit will shut off power to the laser diode. If this happens, the unit should
be turned off and allowed to sit for about five (5) minutes, then turned on again. If the laser performs when
retried, the microprocessor has been able to make adjustments and the unit will function. If the unit fails to fire
when retried, the device will need to be sent for re-calibration by Den-Mat
®
Holdings, LLC Service Department.
Tip Being Initiated
