If you know so much about how to do the procedure, perhaps you should be
teaching it at the dental school  :-)

Teasing sarcasm there.

If you are having excess gingival trimmed to improve dental esthetics, are
having hyperplasic tissue removed after dilantin or pregnancy, then the
laser does a super job.  If you are having flap surgery for pocket
elimination, osseous recontouring, infra-bony grafting, etc. then the
scalpel is the instrument of choice.

I think the chief advantage, of a laser, in the situation you describe, is
being able to do the procedure (often, but not always) without anesthetic.
However, the tooth has to be numb anyway, so who cares ?  Personally, I
would use the laser if there was at least 3-4 mm of connective tissue
attachment supra-osseous.  Otherwise, a scalpel, lay a flap and recontour
the osseous tissue to allow sufficient space for soft tissue attachment.

    I didn't know that AC had a laser.  I don't, but I don't see one as
superior to the other.  Laser or electrocautery work fine, but the wound
takes a bit longer to heal.  The best thing about laser or
electrocautery is that there is no bleeding.  I've heard that the laser
is less painful, but it is not clear to me why.  I have also heard that
the claim may be overblown.  They claim that it kills the nerve endings.
    Caution:  In these matters I am a bit of a retro-grouch.

Steve

Thanks again to all who took time to respond.

I had some laser surgery done many years ago to trim a bit of  gum
overgrowth under a crown and it was done with anestetic, but there was no
bleeding and it seemed very quick to heal.  I just didn't understand why
this time I have to go though the extra bleeding and wear a gum pack for a
week, but I think Amatus has answered the question (i.e. different tool for
different problem)