Over the past decade, the use of middle infrared (Er:YAG and Er,Cr:YSGG) lasers for caries removal and cavity preparation has become commonplace in clinical practice. These lasers are also being used increasingly for soft tissue surgery and for hard-tissue crown lengthening surgery. This paper addresses possible mechanisms that may contribute to a positive patient experience with reduced need for injected local anaesthesia during restorative dentistry when performed with lasers, and then focuses on the concept of laser-induced analgesia as a low-level effect which contributes to the reduced discomfort experienced by dental patients when pulsed middle infrared lasers (Nd:YAG as well as Er:YAG and Er,Cr:YSGG) are employed.