Selective removal of dental composite using a rapidly scanned carbon dioxide laser

Kenneth H. Chan; Daniel Fried

doi:10.1117/12.878890

17 February 2011 Selective removal of dental composite using a rapidly scanned carbon dioxide laser

Kenneth H. Chan, Daniel Fried

Proceedings Volume 7884, Lasers in Dentistry XVII; 78840R (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.878890
Event: SPIE BiOS, 2011, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

Dental restorative materials are color matched to the tooth and are difficult to remove by mechanical means without excessive removal or damage to peripheral enamel and dentin. Lasers are ideally suited for selective ablation to minimize healthy tissue loss when replacing existing restorations, sealants or removing composite adhesives such as residual composite left after debonding orthodontic brackets. In this study a carbon dioxide laser operating at high laser pulse repetition rates integrated with a galvanometer based scanner was used to selectively remove composite from tooth surfaces. A diode array spectrometer was used to measure the plume emission after each laser pulse and determine if the ablated material was tooth mineral or composite. The composite was placed on tooth buccal and occlusal surfaces and the carbon dioxide laser was scanned across the surface to selectively remove the composite without excessive damage to the underlying sound enamel. The residual composite and the damage to the underlying enamel was evaluated using optical microscopy. The laser was able to rapidly remove the composites rapidly from both surfaces with minimal damage to the underlying sound enamel.

Citation Download Citation

Kenneth H. Chan and Daniel Fried "Selective removal of dental composite using a rapidly scanned carbon dioxide laser", Proc. SPIE 7884, Lasers in Dentistry XVII, 78840R (17 February 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.878890

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