Er:YAG laser ablation: evaluation after a two-year clinical treatment

Rapid and conservative ablation and modification of enamel, dentin, and alveolar bone using a high repetition rate transverse excited atmospheric pressure CO[sub 2] laser operating at λ=9.3 μm

“…Pulse energies exceeding 500 mJ per pulse have been explored for erbium pulses of 200-s duration; however, for the higher single pulse energies, the mechanical-recoil effects increase to the point that they are disturbing to the patient and thermal injury may result. 49,50 Moreover, by increasing the spot size and increasing the single pulse ablation rates to more than 100 m per pulse, precision and selectivity must be sacrificed and greater thermal and mechanical peripheral damage are likely. CO 2 lasers can be operated with repetition rates in the kilohertz regime.…”

Ablative Potential of the Erbium–Doped Yttrium Aluminium Garnet Laser and Conventional Handpieces: A Comparative Study

“…It is also capable of removing certain fillings such as composite resins and glass ionomer cement. 2,3 There are many remarkable advantages of laser application in dental practice, such as safe ablation of hard dental tissues, 4 pain reduction, 5 and less noise and vibration. 6 Laser irradiation causes vaporization of water within a mineral substrate, providing volume expansion and disruption of dental tissues using microexplosions.…”

“…17 The lower ablation rates of early Er:YAG lasers than of the mechanical bur presented a limitation of their use in dental practice. 5,[18][19][20][21][22][23] The second-generation Er:YAG Fidelis laser (Fotona, Ljubljana, Slovenia) introduced Variable Square Pulse technology (VSP-technology) and achieved ablation rates even higher than those obtained with a mechanical handpiece. 24 This specific erbium laser offers a selection of different modes during treatment procedure: super short pulse (50 ms), very short pulse (100 ms), short pulse (SP, 300 ms), long pulse (600 ms), and very long pulse (1000 ms).…”

“…Other studies also observed that a longer treatment time was required for carious dentin removal using Er:YAG laser than using the steel bur. One study used an energy density of 51.3 J=cm 2 per pulse; 20 in another study, pulse energies of 100 to 400 mJ and repetition rates of 1 to 4 Hz; 5 and in a third study, pulse energy of 200 mJ and frequency of 4 Hz. 21 Yamada et al, 22 using Er:YAG laser irradiation at 200 mJ and 2 Hz, found that the time required for laser caries removal was almost twice as long as using the steel bur.…”

Ablative Potential of Er:YAG Laser in Dentin: Quantum Versus Variable Square Pulse

“…2 In comparison with conventional cavity preparation with low-speed and high-speed rotary instruments, early Er:YAG lasers were found to be inferior, limiting their use in dental practice. [3][4][5][6][7][8] With the development of variable square pulse technology (VSPt), the Er:YAG laser ablation rates became more effective, rivaling the efficacy of mechanical handpieces. [9][10][11] The unique characteristic of erbium laser with VSPt is a selection of very short, squareshaped pulses of adjustable durations.…”