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Argon laser oral safety parameters for teeth
Author(s) -
Powell G. Lynn,
Morton Thomas H.,
Whisenant Brian K.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
lasers in surgery and medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1096-9101
pISSN - 0196-8092
DOI - 10.1002/lsm.1900130509
Subject(s) - enamel paint , demineralization , pulp (tooth) , dentistry , materials science , irradiation , argon , laser , composite material , biomedical engineering , medicine , chemistry , optics , physics , organic chemistry , nuclear physics
Argon lasers have been reported to prevent or reduce demineralization of enamel in extracted teeth and to polymerize dental composites (using 25–100 J/cm 2 ). Prior to clinical trials on caries prevention and curing composites, safety parameters for intraoral use of the argon laser need to be established. This study was conducted to determine the enamel damage, pulp temperature changes, and associated pulpal tissue damage following irradiation at various argon laser energy levels using 1.6–6.0 watts, ∼ 1 and 2 mm diameter beam for 0.2–5.0 seconds. To evaluate pulpal damage, selected dogs' teeth were irradiated in vivo, extracted 7 days postlasing, fixed, decalcified, sectioned, stained, and read for pulpal damage. Pulp temperature and enamel damage tests utilized extracted dog and human teeth. Temperature probes were inserted in the pulp chambers and temperature changes recorded as enamel surface was lased. Enamel surface damage was evaluated by visual and microscope examination. Results showed that histologic pulpal damage occurred at > 600 J/cm 2 . Temperature changes were < 6° F in human teeth with ∼ 900 J/cm 2 . No enamel damage was observed at these energy densities. At energy densities needed for proposed uses, no apparent damage would be expected to pulp or enamel. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.