title: Caries prevention by CO2 laser treatment: dependency on the number of pulses used.
abstract: The aim of this study was to assess the caries-preventive potential of various carbon dioxide laser conditions and to explore the effect of the number of laser pulses used. The authors irradiated unerupted human molars at two wavelengths--10.6 or 9.6 micrometers--and at 1, 5, 25 or 100 pulses. All teeth were then subjected to pH cycling simulating the conditions for caries progression. Pulsed CO2 laser-preventive treatment inhibited caries-like lesion progression by up to 87 percent. This effect was dependent on the number of pulses used, but there was no correlation between caries resistance and enamel surface morphological changes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthodontics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kantorowitz
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Featherstone
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fried
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000009:adverse effects; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003733:Dental Caries Susceptibility; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018450:Disease Progression; D006244:Hardness; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008963:Molar / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017001:Tooth Demineralization / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014089:Tooth Remineralization; D014097:Tooth, Unerupted / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D002245:Carbon Dioxide