IRVINE, CA--(Marketwired - Apr 16, 2013) - BIOLASE, Inc. (NASDAQ: [ BIOL ]), the world's leading dental laser manufacturer and distributor, announced today that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued BIOLASE a new patent for its non-contact handpiece for cutting both hard and soft tissue with its revolutionary line of [ WaterLase ]^® all-tissue lasers.

Patent 8,403,922 is titled "Non-Contact Handpiece for Laser Tissue Cutting" and further expands BIOLASE's intellectual property position in all-tissue laser dentistry. [ BIOLASE ] currently has a total of 182 issued and 162 pending U.S. and international patents.

Federico Pignatelli, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "This new patent further expands and protects our industry-leading WaterLase technology. Our ergonomic, non-contact laser handpiece is the only one that is user-replaceable with multiple configurations of focal spot sizes and optimal operational distances. This patent should limit the ability of our competitors to challenge our market-leading position in laser dentistry and all-tissue lasers. 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."

"The optical components in our patented contra-angle, non-contact handpiece are designed to provide a high-density, uniform laser beam at a specific distance from the target tissue, which results in the fastest possible cutting of both hard and soft tissue while eliminating undesirable back reflections that can reduce effectiveness," said Dmitri Boutoussov, Chief Technology Officer. "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."

About BIOLASE, Inc.
BIOLASE, Inc. is a biomedical company that develops, manufactures and markets [ dental lasers ] and also distributes and markets dental [ imaging equipment ]; products that are focused on technologies that advance the practice of dentistry and [ medicine ]. The Company's laser products incorporate over 340 patented and patent-pending technologies designed to provide biologically clinically superior performance with less pain and faster recovery times. Its imaging products provide cutting-edge technology at competitive prices to deliver the best results for dentists and patients. BIOLASE's principal [ products ] are dental laser systems that perform a broad range of dental procedures, including cosmetic and complex surgical applications, and a full line of dental imaging equipment. BIOLASE has sold more than 22,000 lasers. Other products under development address ophthalmology and other medical and consumer markets.

WaterLase^® is a trademark of BIOLASE, Inc.

For updates and information on WaterLase and laser dentistry, find BIOLASE online at [ www.biolase.com ], Facebook at [ www.facebook.com/biolaseinc ], Twitter at [ www.twitter.com/biolaseinc ], Pinterest at [ www.pinterest.com/biolase ], LinkedIn at [ www.linkedin.com/company/biolase ], Instagram at [ www.instagram.com/biolaseinc ] and YouTube at [ www.youtube.com/biolasevideos ].