In vitro acid resistance of CO2 and Nd-YAG laser-treated human tooth enamel.

The purposes of this study were to test the effectiveness of laser treatment (pulsed CO(2) and pulsed Nd-YAG) on in vitro acid resistance of human enamel. Thirty enamel surfaces were prepared from 10 extracted permanent premolars (3 surfaces per tooth). Two experimental surfaces on each tooth were irradiated with either CO(2) or Nd-YAG lasers. All specimens were demineralized in 10 ml lactate buffer for 24 or 72 h after laser treatment. After 24-hour acid treatment the mean concentration of calcium that dissolved into the lactate buffer in the CO(2) laser group was significantly less than in the control group, while the dissolved calcium concentration in the Nd-YAG laser group did not differ from the control group (p > 0.05). The erosion depth in the CO(2) laser group was significantly shallower than in the Nd-YAG laser group (p < 0.001). After 72-hour acid treatment, the acid resistances of neither group of laser-treated surfaces differed significantly from the controls. By scanning electron microscopy, the acid-eroded laser-treated enamel surfaces had type I and type II etching patterns, fissures, and disordered rough surfaces compared to control enamel, with a regular type II etching pattern. CO(2) laser-treated tooth enamel was more resistant to acid challenge than was Nd-YAG laser-treated enamel, given the same fluence, but neither type of laser increased acid resistance of subsurface enamel. Copyright 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel