Work

Selective ablation of dental caries using coaxial Co2 (9.3‐μm) and near‐IR (1880‐nm) lasers

Year: 2018

Type: article

Abstract: Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of image‐guided laser ablation of demineralization from tooth occlusal surfaces using coaxial near‐infrared (NIR) and CO2 lasers. Materials and Methods A CO2 laser operating at a wavelength of 9.3‐μm was combined with a thulium‐doped fiber laser operating at 1880‐nm for the selective removal of simulated occlusal caries lesions from 10 tooth samples. Serial NIR reflectance images at 1880‐nm were used to guide the CO2 laser for image‐guided laser ablation. Polarization‐sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS‐OCT) was used to assess the initial depth of the lesions before removal and assess the volume of sound and demineralized tissue removed by the CO2 laser. Results PS‐OCT scans indicated that roughly ∼99% of the lesion was removed by image‐guided laser ablation. A mean volume of 0.191‐mm3 or 11.9‐μm/voxel of excess enamel was removed during lesion removal. Conclusion A co‐aligned NIR/CO2 laser scanning system has great potential for the highly selective removal of dental decay (demineralization). Lasers Surg. Med. 51:176–184, 2019. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Source: Lasers in Surgery and Medicine

DOI: 10.1002/lsm.23002

Authors: Kenneth H. Chan, Daniel Fried

Institution: University of California, San Francisco

Language: English

Topic: Laser Applications in Dentistry and Medicine

Subfield: Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research