Preliminary in vitro investigation of the effects of pulsed Nd:YAG laser radiation on enamel and dentine.

Data available on the effects of pulsed near IR laser energy on dental hard tissue are limited. This study investigates the changes in dental hard tissue when exposed to short duration, pulsed IR wavelength laser light emitted from a Neodymium Yttrium Aluminium Garnet laser (Nd:YAG laser, wavelength 1.06 microns). The results showed that, after treatment with an initiator, there was superficial melting of the enamel. Dentine was altered substantially. The lesions produced in dentine were larger than the cross-section of the delivery fibre optic wand. Considerable inter-sample variation was observed. The temperature rises producing these effects were large and affected the tissue at a distance from the tip.