title: In vitro enamel caries formation: argon laser, light-emitting diode and APF treatment effect.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate argon laser irradiation (AL), light-emitting diode exposure (LED), and acidulated phosphate fluoride treatment (APF) in vitro effects on caries-like enamel caries formation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sound teeth (n = 18) were divided into four tooth quarters and coated with an acid-resistant varnish, leaving an enamel window exposed per tooth quarter. The tooth quarters were assigned to: (1) no treatment (control, mesiobuccal); (2) 1.23% APF (4 minutes, distolingual); (3) LED (Ultradent Ultra-Lume LED2 20 seconds, mesiolingual); and (4) AL (HGM Model 8, 11.5 J/cm2, 231 mW, 5mm beam size, 10 seconds, distobuccal). Following caries-like lesion formation (modified ten Cate solution), longitudinal sections (three per tooth quarter, 54 lesions per group) were obtained and evaluated for mean lesion depths (water imbibition, polarized light microscopy, ANOVA, DMR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean lesion depths were: 198 +/- 21 microm for controls; 186 +/- 17 microm for LED; 117 +/- 19 microm for AL; and 104 +/- 23 microm for APF. Lesion depths were statistically significantly decreased for AL (41%) and APF (47%) groups (P < 0.05), compared with controls. A slight lesion depth reduction for LED (6%) was present compared with controls; however this was not statistically significantly different (P > 0.05).
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Preventive Dentistry, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, USA.
authors.forename: Gary H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Westerman
authors.forename: M John
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hicks
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Flaitz
authors.forename: G Lynn
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Powell
mesh_terms: D000149:Acidulated Phosphate Fluoride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001128:Argon; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D003733:Dental Caries Susceptibility / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects*; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007834:Lasers; D008027:Light; D008029:Lighting / Q000295:instrumentation; D008859:Microscopy, Polarization; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D000149:Acidulated Phosphate Fluoride; D001128:Argon