title: The effect of neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser irradiation on rabbit dental pulp tissue.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) lasers have been used for a wide range of dental applications. However, the safety of their clinical applications is still in question. The aim of the present study was to investigate histopathologic changes in rabbit dental pulp tissue following pulsed Nd:YAG irradiation through normal dental hard tissue.
  
  
  METHODS
  Specimens from teeth treated with Nd:YAG laser irradiation from two healthy adult New Zealand white rabbits were examined by light microscopy. Each incisor and molar tooth was treated with different irradiation parameters: energy, 100 mJ; frequency, 10, 20, 30, or 40 Hz; power output, 1, 2, 3, or 4 W; emission mode, pulsed; time, 0.5 min.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Histological investigation revealed that laser irradiation at different power outputs did not damage the pulp tissue. At power output of 4 W, however, a prominent depression in the dentin of the rabbit molar tooth was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nd:YAG laser irradiation at the power outputs of 1-4 W did not produce any irreversible tissue damage in the pulp of rabbit teeth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Atatürk University, Erzurum, Turkey. nihalpedo@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Nihal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Beldüz
authors.forename: Yücel
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Elvan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ozbek
authors.forename: Yıldıray
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kalkan
authors.forename: Tuba
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Demirci
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*; D003804:Dentin / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State; D008853:Microscopy; D011817:Rabbits