title: Thermal alteration and morphological changes of sound and demineralized primary dentin after Er:YAG laser ablation.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of Er:YAG laser pulse repetition rate on the thermal alterations occurring during laser ablation of sound and demineralized primary dentin. The morphological changes at the lased areas were examined by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). To this end, 60 fragments of 30 sound primary molars were selected and randomly assigned to two groups (n = 30); namely A sound dentin (control) and B demineralized dentin. Each group was divided into three subgroups (n = 10) according to the employed laser frequencies: I-4 Hz; II-6 Hz, and III-10 Hz. Specimens in group B were submitted to a pH-cycling regimen for 21 consecutive days. The irradiation was performed with a 250 mJ pulse energy in the noncontact and focused mode, in the presence of a fine water mist at 1.5 mL/min, for 15 s. The measured temperature was recorded by type K thermocouples adapted to the dentin wall relative to the pulp chamber. Three samples of each group were analyzed by SEM. The data were submitted to the nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis test and to qualitative SEM analysis. The results revealed that the temperature increase did not promote any damage to the dental structure. Data analysis demonstrated that in group A, there was a statistically significant difference among all the subgroups and the temperature rise was directly proportional to the increase in frequency. In group B, there was no difference between subgroup I and II in terms of temperature. The superficial dentin observed by SEM displayed irregularities that augmented with rising frequency, both in sound and demineralized tissues. In conclusion, temperature rise and morphological alterations are directly related to frequency increment in both demineralized and sound dentin.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Clínica Infantil, Odontologia Preventiva e Social, Faculdade de Odontologia de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP14040-904, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cristina Bueno
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Brandão
authors.forename: Marta Maria Martins Giamatei
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Contente
authors.forename: Fabrício Augusto
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: De Lima
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Galo
authors.forename: Alessandra Marques
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Corrêa-Afonso
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bachmann
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Borsatto
mesh_terms: D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003804:Dentin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D014867:Water