Er:YAG laser-roughened enamel promotes osteoblastic differentiation.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to test whether Er:YAG laser-etched enamel of human teeth could act as a biologically active scaffold for tissue regeneration.


BACKGROUND
Hydroxylapatite (HA) with rough surface created by acid etching treatment has been used as a scaffold for tissue engineering. However, whether tooth HA can be a scaffold for osteoblastic cell seeding is still unclear.


METHODS
Enamel samples from human teeth were pretreated with an Er:YAG laser to create a rough surface. Then the surface of the laser-treated enamel was examined using a surface roughness profilometer and a scanning electron microscope. In addition, static water contact angles of the Er:YAG laser-treated enamel samples were measured using goniometry. To observe the effects of cell behavior on an Er:YAG laser-roughened enamel surface, we cultured MG63 osteoblast-like cells on the surface-modified enamel samples. Alkaline phosphatase activity, a marker of cell proliferation and differentiation, was monitored and compared with that in untreated control and acid-etched enamel samples.


RESULTS
Er:YAG laser treatment significantly improved the surface roughness of the enamel samples. Furthermore, MG63 osteoblast-like cells cultured on the Er:YAG laser-roughened enamel surface expressed more alkaline phosphatase activity and exhibited greater degrees of cellular differentiation than did cells that had been cultured on untreated enamel samples.


CONCLUSIONS
These results demonstrate that Er:YAG laser-roughened enamel promotes osteoblastic differentiation. This finding suggests that Er:YAG laser-roughened enamel surfaces can potentially serve as a scaffold for tissue engineering.
School of Dentistry, College of Oral Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Nai-Chia
NC
Teng
Peter Da-Yun
PD
Wang
Wei-Jen
WJ
Chang
Sheng-Wei
SW
Feng
Kang-Hsin
KH
Fan
Che-Tong
CT
Lin
Sung-Chih
SC
Hsieh
Haw-Ming
HM
Huang
D000134:Acid Etching, Dental; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000528:radiation effects; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013499:Surface Properties / Q000528:radiation effects; D023822:Tissue Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds
D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase