Temperature rises during application of Er:YAG laser under different primary dentin thicknesses

• Published in: Photomedicine and laser surgery Vol. 31; no. 5; p. 201
• Main Authors: Hubbezoglu, Ihsan, Unal, Murat, Zan, Recai, Hurmuzlu, Feridun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.05.2013
• Subjects: Body Temperature - radiation effects; Child; Dentin - radiation effects; Female; Humans; Lasers, Solid-State; Male; Radiation Dosage
• ISSN: 1557-8550
• DOI: 10.1089/pho.2012.3411

The present study investigated the effects of the Er:YAG laser's different pulse repetition rates on temperature rise under various primary dentin thicknesses. The Er:YAG laser can be used for restorative approaches in clinics and is used to treat dental caries. There are some reports that explain the temperature rise effect of the Er:YAG laser. Recently, the Er:YAG laser has been found to play an important role in temperature rises during the application on dentin. Caries-free primary mandibular molars were prepared to obtain dentin discs with 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 mm thicknesses (n=10). These discs were placed between the Teflon mold cylinders of a temperature test apparatus. We preferred three pulse repetition rates of 10, 15, and 20 Hz with an energy density of 12.7 J/cm2 and a 230 μs pulse duration. All dentin discs were irradiated for 30 sec by the Er:YAG laser. Temperature rises were recorded using an L-type thermocouple and universal data loggers/scanners (E-680, Elimko Co., Turkey). Data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA and Tukey tests. Whereas the lowest temperature rise (0.44±0.09 °C) was measured from a 10 Hz pulse repetition rate at a dentin thickness of 2 mm, the highest temperature rise (3.86±0.43 °C) was measured from a 20 Hz pulse repetition rate at a 0.5 mm dentin thickness. Temperature rise did not reach critical value for pulpal injury in any primary dentin thicknesses irradiated by a high repetition rate of the Er:YAG laser.