Optimal power settings of aluminum gallium arsenide lasers in caries inhibition - An in vitro study.
BACKGROUND
Incipient carious lesions are characterized by subsurface dissolution due to more fluoride ions in the 50-100 microns of the tooth's outer surface.


OBJECTIVE
To determine an optimal power setting for 810 nm aluminum gallium arsenide laser for caries inhibition.


METHODS
Fifty-four caries-free extracted teeth were sectioned mesiodistally. The samples were divided into 18 groups for each power setting being evaluated. Each group had six samples. The laser used is 810 nm aluminum gallium arsenide laser with power setting from 0.1 watts to 5 watts. Laser fluorescence based device was used to evaluate the effect of irradiation.


METHODS
Paired "t" test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Tukey's post hoc test, and the Pearson's correlation test.


RESULTS
The paired t-test showed that there is minimum divergence from the control for 3.5 watts. Tukey's post hoc test also showed statistically significantly results for 3.5 watts. The Pearson's correlation test showed that there was negative correlation between the watts and irradiation.


CONCLUSIONS
The power setting that gave statistically significant results was 3.5 watts.
Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Army Dental Centre (R&R), Delhi, India.
Sonali
S
Sharma
Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, AB Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Nitte University, Mangaluru, Karnataka, India.
Mithra N
MN
Hegde
Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, AB Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Nitte University, Mangaluru, Karnataka, India.
Vandana
V
Sadananda
Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, AB Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Nitte University, Mangaluru, Karnataka, India.
Blessen
B
Mathews
Aluminum gallium arsenide laser; caries inhibition; laser fluorescence