Nd:YAG laser in caries prevention: A clinical trial

✍ Scribed by Denise Maria Zezell; Heloisa Gomes D. Boari; Patricia Aparecida Ana; Carlos de Paula Eduardo; Glen Lynn Powell

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2009
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 101 KB
• Volume: 41
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0196-8092
• DOI: 10.1002/lsm.20738

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Background and Objective

It is widely known that Nd:YAG can increase enamel resistance to demineralization; however, there are no studies that report the application of Nd:YAG associated with topical application of fluoride in vivo. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the Nd:YAG laser, when associated with the topical application of acidulated phosphate fluoride (APF), for preventing enamel demineralization in vivo.

Materials and Methods

A double‐blind crossover experimental design was used, in which 121 teeth of 33 volunteers were selected. In all volunteers, the right side teeth were selected for Nd:YAG laser+APF application (lased group) and the left side teeth were kept as control group (only APF application). Nd:YAG laser was applied at 60 mJ/pulse, at a repetition rate of 10 Hz and fluence of 84.9 J/cm^2^; after that, topical APF was applied for 4 minutes. Recalls were made after 1 year in order to evaluate the formation of white‐spot lesions or caries cavities.

Results

After 1 year, this in vivo experiment showed a reduction of 39.2% in caries incidence in lased group when compared with the control. The number of white‐spots or caries cavities decreased significantly (P = 0.0043) in the Nd:YAG laser group; the formation of white‐spots was significantly less (P = 0.0031) when compared with the number of lesions in the control group.

Conclusion

Combined Nd:YAG laser and topical fluoride treatment was effective for reducing the incidence of caries in vivo. Lasers Surg. Med. 41:31–35, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.