The use of Q-switched erbium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser (Er:YAG laser), which have much less thermal effects than conventional Er:YAG lasers, has been proposed mainly in the medical field. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the bonding ability of dentin after Q-switched Er:YAG laser irradiation.The effects of dentin irradiation with Q-switched and conventional lasers were evaluated in terms of dentin morphology, roughness, hardness, elemental content, and resin bonding strength. Q-switched Er:YAG laser at average power densities of 20, 40, and 60 W/cm 2 and conventional Er:YAG laser at 909 W/cm 2 were used, and their performance was compared with that of the untreated group. Significant differences (p<0.05) were observed between 20 W/cm 2 and the other groups in term of surface roughness and surface hardness. The resin adhesion of the 20 W/cm 2 group was significantly higher than that of the other groups (p<0.05).
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.