Abstract
Data on the effects of laser radiation on primary teeth are scarce. This study investigates the effects of exposing sound enamel, photo-initiated sound enamel, sound dentine and carious dentine of extracted primary teeth to a pulsed neodymium-yttrium aluminium garnet laser (Nd-YAG, wavelength 1.06 µm, pulse length 15µs). Each type of tissue was exposed to three fiuences. Qualitative and quantitative assessments of the irradiated areas revealed that the most marked changes were produced in carious dentine, followed in ranking order by sound dentine, photo-initiated enamel and sound enamel. Evidence of thermal damage to the hard tissues peripheral to the fibre-optic tip, and considerable inter-sample variation were found. The experimental evidence obtained in this in vitro study does not support the clinical use of pulsed laser at 1.06 µm wavelength for cutting primary enamel and dentine.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Myers TD, Myers WD. The use of a laser for debridment of incipient caries.J Prosthet Dent 1985,53:776–9
Myers TD, Myers WD. In vivo caries removal utilizing the YAG laser.Mich Dental Am J 1985,67:66–9
Koort HJ, Frentzen M. Laser effects on dental hard tissues. In: Miserendino LJ, Pick RM (eds)Lasers in Dentistry. Chicago: Quintessence Publishing Co, Inc. 1995:57–70
Dederich DN. Laser/tissue interactions: what happens to light when it strikes tissue.J Am Dent Assoc 1993,124:57–61
Flaitz C, Hicks J, Westerman G, Berg J, Blankenau R, Powell J. Argon laser irradiation and acidulated phosphate fluoride treatment in caries-like lesion formation in enamel: an in vitro study.Pediatr Dent 1995,17:31–5
Tagamori S, Morioka T.Combined effects of laser and fluoride on acid resistance of human dental enamel.Caries Res 1989,23:225–31
Goodman BD, Kaufman HW. Effects of an argon laser on the crystalline properties and rate of dissolution in acid of tooth enamel in the presence of sodium fluoride.J Dent Res 1977,56:1201–7
Yamamoto H, Ooya K. Potential of yttrium-aluminiumgarnet laser in caries prevention.J Oral Pathol 1974,3: 7–15
Yamamoto H, Sato K. Prevention of dental caries by Nd:YAG laser irradiation.J Dent Res 1980,59:2171–7
Jamjoum H, Pearson GJ, McDonald AV. A comparative study of etching enamel by acid and laser.Lasers Med Sci 1995,10:37–42
Renton Harper P, Midda M. Nd:YAG laser treatment of dentine hypersensitivity.Br Dent J 1992,172:13–6
Dederich DN, Zakariasen KL, Tulip J. Scanning electron microscopic analysis of canal wall dentine following neodymium:yttrium aluminum garnet irradiation.J Endod 1984,10:428–31
Zakariasen KL, Dederich DN, Tulip J. Nd:YAG laser fusion of dentine plugs in root canals.J Dent Res 1985,64:A579
Kuroda S, Fowler BO. Compositional, structural, and phase changes inin vitro laser-irradiated human tooth enamel.Calcif Tissue Int 1984,36:361–9
Fowler BO, Kuroda S. Changes in heated and in laserirradiated human tooth enamel and their probable effects on solubility.Calcif Tissue Int 1986,38:197–208
White JM, Goodis HE, Kudler JJ. Human pulp response to ND:YAG laser exposure on dentin. Fourth International Congress on Lasers in Dentistry, Singapore, 1994:24
Cox CJM, Pearson GJ, Palmer G. Preliminaryin vitro investigation of the effects of pulsed Nd:YAG laser radiation on enamel and dentine.Biomaterials 1994,15:1145–51
Hibst R, Keller U. Experimental studies of the application of the Er:YAG laser on dental hard substances. I. Measurement of the ablation rate.Lasers Surg Med 1989,9:338–44
Adrian JC. Pulp effects of neodymium laser, a preliminary report.Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol 1977,44:301–5
Miserendino LJ, Neiburger EJ, Walia H, Luebke N, Brantley W. Thermal effects of continuous wave CO2 laser exposure on human teeth: anin vitro study.J Endod 1989,15: 302–5
Patel BC.Interaction of Laser Radiation with Human Teeth and the Attachment of Glass to Enamel. Ph.D. Thesis, University of London, April 1990.
Ansari G, Reid JS, Creanor SL, Whitters CJ, Foye RH, Strang R. Caries removal in primary teeth using pulsed Nd-YAG laser.J Dent Res 1995,74:441.
Rode SM, Andrade CS, Eduardo CP, Ando T. The effect of Nd:YAG laser on the enamel of human deciduous teeth—in-vitro ultrastructural SEM study.J Dent Res 1995,74:775.
Dederich DN, Zakariasen KL, Tulip J. An in-vitro quantitative analysis of changes in root canal wall dentine due to pulsed neodymium: yttrium aluminum garnet irradiation.Lasers Life Science 1988,2:39–51
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jalil, L.A., Labella, R. & Pearson, G.J. Surface topography of enamel and dentine from primary teeth following infrared Nd-YAG laser irradiation: An in vitro study. Laser Med Sci 12, 61–67 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02763923
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02763923