Laser Applications In Dentistry Research Articles

The development of a serious game for laser applications in dentistry and the evaluation of dental students' satisfaction

BackgroundThis study aimed to design and implement a gamified application about the theoretical aspects of laser applications in dentistry and investigate students' satisfaction with their learning experience.MethodsAn engaging educational program named Essential Skills and Knowledge in Learning Laser (ESKILLD) was developed to teach laser applications in dentistry. The program comprises two primary components: a “Tutorial and Quiz” section and a “Games” section. Final-year dental students were tasked with installing and using this application. A 29-item validated questionnaire (Cronbach's alpha = 0.97, ICC = 0.94) was used to evaluate students' perceptions of the applications' design and functionality. The influence of participants' gender and Grade Point Average (GPA) on their satisfaction levels was examined via the student t-test and Pearson's correlation, with a significance level of 0.05.ResultsThe study had 56 participants, of which 37 were female (66.07%), and 19 were male (33.92%). The students' average GPA was 15.16 out of 20. The mean rating for ESKILLD's design and functionality was 1.39 ± 0.47 and 1.37 ± 0.46, respectively, signifying a high satisfaction level. Female students rated the application's coherence and learning perception significantly higher than their male counterparts (p < 0.05). However, gender did not significantly influence scores on other perception aspects or overall scores. Students' GPAs and their perception scores did not have a significant correlation.ConclusionsThe results indicate that the participants were generally satisfied with the game's features and attitudes towards it, which underscores the potential effectiveness of gamification in dental courses focused on laser applications.

Optimized Erbium-Doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Er:YAG) Laser Parameters for the Removal of Dental Ceramic Restorations.

The use of lasers for debonding adhesively luted ceramic restorations is a rather recent oral laser application in dentistry. The removal of all-ceramic restorations in the mouth can often be a troublesome task. A novel method for the debonding of ceramic restorations without damaging the restorations is Er:YAG laser irradiation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the Er:YAG laser for debonding procedures of different dental ceramics and to identify appropriate laser settings. Lithium disilicate, zirconium-reinforced lithium silicate, feldspatic ceramic, and zirconium dioxide were investigated. Ten ceramic rectangular-shaped specimens with 1 and 2 mm thickness were produced from each material. All specimens were irradiated with four different power settings 1.5; 2.5; 3.5; 4.5 W, pulse duration 50 μs, laser repetition rate 10 Hz, time of irradiation 10 s. The transmitted energy was measured with a powermeter. Additionally the suitability of the Er:YAG laser to remove the adhesively bonded ceramic and the time until loss of retention was evaluated. The transmission rate for 1 and 2 mm platelets was determined for zirconium-reinforced lithium silicate at 54.6%/35.6%, lithium disilicate at 53.2%/35.7%, zirconium dioxide at 40.6%/32.4%, and for the feldspathic ceramic at 19.4%/10.1%. For zirconium-reinforced lithium silicate and zirconium dioxide 2.5 W (250 mJ/10 Hz) was an appropriate energy level for effective debonding. Whereas for lithium disilicate and for feldspathic ceramic, 4.5 W (450 mJ/10 Hz) is required for efficient debonding. There are differences regarding transmission rates between ceramic types for the Er:YAG laser light and additionally depending on the type of ceramic different energy settings should be used for adequate debonding. Based on our in-vitro experiments we recommend 2.5 W for zirconium-reinforced lithium silicate and zirconium dioxide and 4.5 W for lithium disilicate and feldspatic ceramic. Transmission rates of different ceramic types and varying influences of thicknesses and bonding materials should be considered to adjust the laser parameters during laser debonding of adhesively luted all-ceramic restorations.

Application of lasers in dentistry: a bibliometric study of the top 100 most-cited papers.

This bibliometric study analyzed the 100 most-cited papers about the use of lasers and their modalities in dentistry. A search strategy was created using specific keywords related to the topic. A comprehensive search was then conducted in the Web of Science Core Collection (WoS-CC) database up to July 2021. Papers that addressed the application of any type of laser and its modalities in dentistry were included. Each paper was cross-matched with the number of citations on Scopus and Google Scholar. The following data were extracted from papers: title, number of citations, authorship, country, year of publication, journal, study design, subject, laser type, and oral health outcomes. The VOSviewer software was used to generate bibliometric networks. The total number of citations ranged from 120 to 4,124 and 23 papers received more than 200 citations. Papers were published from 1964 to 2015. Most papers were from Europe (42%) and Anglo-Saxon America (27%). The USA was the country with more top 100 papers (25%). Papers were published mainly in Lasers in Surgery and Medicine (15%) and Lasers in Medical Science (7%). VOSviewer maps demonstrated the existence of national and international research collaborations among institutions and authors. Most studies had a laboratory design (57%) and were about restorative dentistry (32%) and periodontics (21%). This bibliometric study of the top 100 most-cited papers on lasers in dentistry allowed a quantitative and qualitative analysis of this very promising research field, revealing a net of collaboration and the importance of this topic in dentistry.

Chosen applications and approaches to modeling lasers in dentistry

Historically, although the first indications for the use of lasers in general were in dentistry, coming as a relief from the sound of the drill and mechanical contacts, it still seems somewhat that the entry in various ways of lasers in dentistry has been slower. This is somewhat true for the situation at the continents (e.g. USA much later approved the application relative to Europe). This paper analyzes the potential and existing applications of lasers in dentistry in a wide range of existing types, including interaction with dental tissues, in terms of surgical applications, on living tissue, the prosthetic area of applications and therapeutic doses. There is another special feature that can be recognized is the precise determination of the color of the material (teeth and prosthetics) and in general the determination of the composition of the material including classic, but also modern laser techniques (LIBS, complimentary techniques, tooth tissue, bone) and especially in the case of the first Q switch systems related to pain reduction, because the short pulse favors the intervention rate (ns, ps and fs). Special attention should be paid to modeling of interaction and analysis with the appropriate software support.

Lasers in Endodontics- A Review of Literature

Lasers are commonly used to reshape our gums during root canal procedures and to kill bacteria. Applicationof lasers in dentistry has been increased due to its safety and effectiveness in dental treatments. Lasers havebeen used as coadjuvant treatment in endodontic therapy with respect to both low-intensity laser therapy(LILT) and high-intensity laser treatment (HILT) to improve clinical procedures’ success rate. The majorprocedures done with lasers in endodontics are dentin hypersensitivity, removal of carious tissues, toothpreparations, pulp capping or pulpotomy and also in root canal treatment.Lasers are often used to removemouth lesions and to soothe discomfort. A thorough literature search was performed using the databaselike Pubmed, google scholar, BioRxiv, MESH database using the keywords ‘light amplification device’and ‘Endodontics’ and also their types with no date and year restrictions.12 articles with similar data havebeen found which were analysed and have been included in this study. Talulation were done using googledocuments. The recent articles discussed in this study help us in gaining further knowledge about lasers andtheir usage in endodontics. The various methods of using lasers discussed in this article has been widelyused by dental practitioners with 100% success rate. So it has been concluded that lasers are well establishedinstruments. Upcoming research based on lasers are showing more benefits and ability to perform lessinvasive procedures with greater comfort of patients has led to the development of lasers in modern dentistryespecially in endodontics.

Laser and its Implications in Dentistry : A Review Article

The term LASER is an acronym for ‘Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation’. Miaman was the first who introduced laser application in dentistry in 1960 and its hard and soft tissue application. There is lot of advancement in lasers in past two decades. Various hard tissue applications includes caries prevention, bleaching, restorative removal and curing, cavity preparation, dentinal hypersensitivity, growth modulation and for diagnostic purposes, whereas soft tissue application includes wound healing, removal of hyperplastic tissue to uncovering of impacted or partially erupted tooth, photodynamic therapy for malignancies, photostimulation of herpetic lesion. Although lasers proves to be slightly costlier than traditional treatment but its an effective tool to increase efficiency, specificity, ease and comfort of the dental treatment.

"Laser Dentistry"-The Need of the Hour: A Cross-sectional Study.

ABSTRACTAim:The increase in the technological development in dentistry has led to a better and efficient treatment being rendered to the patient. One such development is the application of laser in the field of dentistry. The introduction of laser has provided various advantages to the dentist. Therefore, a study was conducted to assess awareness among the dentists in Coimbatore district about the application of laser.Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted among the dentists in Coimbatore district. A questionnaire consisting of three parts was used to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of laser dentistry.Results:The results were tabulated, and the percentages were statistically analyzed. The knowledge of laser usage and application of laser was present for almost 55% of the dentist. The attitude of dentist toward the advantage of laser was less. The practice of laser dentistry was poor among dentists, and only 10% were effectively practicing laser dentistry.Conclusion:The advantages of laser in daily dental practice are more advantageous than the disadvantages such as cost of equipment and material handling. Therefore, there is a great need for creating awareness of laser dentistry. Cost-effective equipment is the need of the hour to promote laser dentistry.

Abstracts from the 7th Congress of the World Federation for Laser in Dentistry European Division June 20–22, 2019 Parma, Italy

Abstracts from the 7th Congress of the World Federation for Laser in Dentistry European Division June 20–22, 2019 Parma, Italy

Knowledge and perceived adequacy of information regarding the applications of lasers in dentistry among dental interns in India

Aim: Laser dentistry is one of the latest, precise, and minimally invasive tools being explored in dentistry. The objective of the study was to determine the knowledge and perceived adequacy of information of lasers in dentistry among the dental interns in Karnataka, India. Materials and Methods: A survey was conducted in Karnataka among the dental students who were in their fifth year of the course. The questionnaire consisted of two main parts: first part included use and applications of dental lasers, and second part included source and need of information regarding the laser. Total of 1000 questionnaires were distributed among the students, and finally, 727 completely filled questionnaires were considered for the study. Results: A majority of the students (79%) were not provided with adequate knowledge during their Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) curriculum and 53% of the students were interested in procuring the additional information about lasers. It was found that the knowledge regarding lasers was satisfactory only regarding the types and benefits of lasers. The knowledge regarding applications of lasers in various fields of dentistry was below satisfactory. Conclusion: The dental interns of Karnataka feel that the laser education provided to them during their BDS course was insufficient. Most of the surveyed interns were found to be having either insufficient knowledge or incorrect notion about lasers.

Evaluation of irradiation effects of near-infrared free-electron-laser of silver alloy for dental application.

In the application of lasers in dentistry, there is a delicate balance between the benefits gained from laser treatment and the heat-related damage arising from laser irradiation. Hence, it is necessary to understand the different processes associated with the irradiation of lasers on dental materials. To obtain insight for the development of a safe and general-purpose laser for dentistry, the present study examines the physical effects associated with the irradiation of a near-infrared free-electron laser (FEL) on the surface of a commonly used silver dental alloy. The irradiation experiments using a 2900-nm FEL confirmed the formation of a pit in the dental alloy. The pit was formed with one macro-pulse of FEL irradiation, therefore, suggesting the possibility of efficient material processing with an FEL. Additionally, there was only a slight increase in the silver alloy temperature (less than 0.9°C) despite the long duration of FEL irradiation, thus inferring that fixed prostheses in the oral cavity can be processed by FEL without thermal damage to the surrounding tissue. These results indicate that dental hard tissues and dental materials in the oral cavity can be safely and efficiently processed by the irradiation of a laser, which has the high repetition rate of a femtosecond laser pulse with a wavelength around 2900nm.

Dentin Hypersensitivity Treatment Using Shock Waves Transferring Micro and Nano-Sized Structures on Teeth

Herein, a laser-induced forward transfer ( LIFT) method was used to activate hydroxyapatite films [ Ca- 10(PO4)(6)(OH)(2)] as well as gold or aluminum particles. and transfer them to the tooth structure. This novel approach aims to treat dental hypersensitivity, a method that is expected to open new horizons for laser applications in dentistry. Interestingly, the transferred materials were in micro and nano-sized structures, as evidence by Field emission scanning electron microscopy ( FESEM) and energydispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis ( EDS). This study has the potential of possible extension to cosmetics dentistry and for applications on increasing acid resistance of teeth by deposition of gold nano particles. Tightly adhering micro and nanoparticles were obtained as evidenced by the tape test. The expected pressure ( Mbar) on different foil surfaces was estimated using a well-known relation between the laser parameters and the induced pressure on the irradiated foil.

Data Fitting to Study Ablated Hard Dental Tissues by Nanosecond Laser Irradiation.

Laser ablation of dental hard tissues is one of the most important laser applications in dentistry. Many works have reported the interaction of laser radiations with tooth material to optimize laser parameters such as wavelength, energy density, etc. This work has focused on determining the relationship between energy density and ablation thresholds using pulsed, 5 nanosecond, neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet; Nd:Y3Al5O12 (Nd:YAG) laser at 1064 nanometer. For enamel and dentin tissues, the ablations have been performed using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technique. The ablation thresholds and relationship between energy densities and peak areas of calcium lines, which appeared in LIBS, were determined using data fitting. Furthermore, the morphological changes were studied using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Moreover, the chemical stability of the tooth material after ablation has been studied using Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDX). The differences between carbon atomic % of non-irradiated and irradiated samples were tested using statistical t-test. Results revealed that the best fitting between energy densities and peak areas of calcium lines were exponential and linear for enamel and dentin, respectively. In addition, the ablation threshold of Nd:YAG lasers in enamel was higher than that of dentin. The morphology of the surrounded ablated region of enamel showed thermal damages. For enamel, the EDX quantitative analysis showed that the atomic % of carbon increased significantly when laser energy density increased.

Experimental Investigation on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Nd:YAG Laser Treated CP-Ti and & Ni-Cr Alloys for Dental Applications

Commercial pure titanium (CP-Ti) has been the material of choice in several disciplines of dentistry due to its excellent biocompatibility, high resistance to corrosion, good oxidation resistance, strength-weight ratio and low mass – to –volume ratio. Despite a number of favourable characteristics, CP-Ti possess low mechanical strength, low surface hardness and poor wear resistance. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of laser surface treatment on the mechanical properties of cast titanium and to compare with Ni-Cr alloys. Dumbbell and round shaped investment cast specimens were prepared for commercial pure Titanium (Grade – 2) and Ni-Cr alloys. The cast specimens were laser treated on the surface using a Nd; YAG Laser machine with argon shielding. Tensile testing was conducted to obtain the tensile strength, percentage elongation and modulus of elasticity. The data were statistically analysed by ANOVA/post hoc test (p<0.050). Microstructures of fractured surfaces were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy and changes in crystal orientation were evaluated by x-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The highest tensile strength was obtained for laser treated titanium specimens with 450J/cm2, followed by control groups. The results of the experiment showed that laser treated CP-Ti has better mechanical properties than laser treated Ni-Cr alloy. The laser treatment has modified the micro structure, enhanced the tensile strength and surface hardness. This inference of improvement widens the scope of use laser application in dentistry and beyond.

824 - The use of lasers in restorative dentistry: truths and myths

As pesquisas tem investigado do uso do laser na odontologia

English

Since the development of the ruby laser by Maiman in 1960, a variety of studies on the potential applications of lasers in dentistry have been conducted. Many applications like computer aided design and rapid prototyping technology, and study of occlusion in complete dentures using three-dimensional laser scanner have been developed. Its applications range from fixed Prosthodontics to treatment of dentinal hypersensitivity to surface treatment of base metal alloys. Today it even extends to the fields of dental implantology and maxillofacial Prosthodontics. This article reviews and summarises various studies of the laser applications in Prosthodontics.

Clinical Approach of Laser Application in Different Aspects of Pediatric Dentistry

The application of laser in dentistry is considered as a favorable technique for patients due to its many advantages compare to other current methods. One of the main goals in pediatric dentistry is to provide the treatment as comfortable as possible without any risks for the care. Laser is being used in different pediatric dental conditions including caries detection, caries removal and cavity preparation, soft tissue surgery and in low level laser therapy applications. The application of current common lasers in dentistry resulted in less stress and fear in patients during dental procedures, also leading to more conservative non-invasive methods for soft and hard tissues with minimal discomfort and bleeding.

Laser physics and a review of laser applications in dentistry for children

The aim of this introduction to this special laser issue is to describe some basic laser physics and to delineate the potential of laser-assisted dentistry in children. A brief review of the available laser literature was performed within the scope of paediatric dentistry. Attention was paid to soft tissue surgery, caries prevention and diagnosis, cavity preparation, comfort of the patient, effect on bacteria, long term pulpal vitality, endodontics in primary teeth, dental traumatology and low level laser therapy. Although there is a lack of sufficient evidence taking into account the highest standards for evidence-based dentistry, it is clear that laser application in a number of different aetiologies for soft tissue surgery in children has proven to be successful. Lasers provide a refined diagnosis of caries combined with the appropriate preventive adhesive dentistry after cavity preparation. This will further lead to a new wave of micro-dentistry based on 'filling without drilling'. It has become clear from a review of the literature that specific laser applications in paediatric dentistry have gained increasing importance. It can be concluded that children should be considered as amongst the first patients for receiving laser-assisted dentistry.

An Overview: Laser Applications in Dentistry

Dentistry has entered an exciting era of high technology. Lasers provide new powerful tools that is characterized by a bloodless field and applied in most branches of dentistry. There are many types of lasers, such as Gas laser, Chemical laser, Dye laser, Metal-vapor laser, Solid-state laser and Semiconductor laser. Each laser type has its own unique features, advantages and disadvantages. While one laser may be suitable for some procedures, it will be unsuitable for others, so it is important for the dentist to have a back ground information about this technology and its uses in dentistry.

Modelling of temperature distribution within a dental profile on account of laser irradiation

Thermal-induced destruction of pulpal material on account of prolonged exposure to laser irradiation frequently offers serious challenges for application of lasers in dentistry. Here, we develop a mathematical model of heat transfer within the dental profile due to laser irradiation and attempt to locate the probable paths of heat flow by identifying the pertinent thermal resistances. Corresponding to a maximum allowable rise of temperature, we obtain suitable ranges of laser power, so that a negligible heat flux prevails at tooth locations farthest from the spot of laser treatment, thereby obtaining safe operating parameter regimes and avoiding any undesirable pulpal damage.

Atlas of laser applications in dentistry

Atlas of laser applications in dentistry