Objectives The aim of this study was to see the effect of Er:YAG laser irradiation in dentine and compare this with its effect in enamel. The mechanism of crack propagation in dentine was emphasised and its clinical implications were discussed. Materials and methods Coronal sections of sound enamel and dentine were machined to 50-μm thickness using a FEI-Helios Plasma (FIB). The specimen was irradiated for 30 s with 2.94-μm Er:YAG laser radiation in a moist environment, using a sapphire dental probe tip, with the tip positioned 2 mm away from the sample surface. One of the sections was analysed as a control and not irradiated. Samples were analysed using the Zeiss Xradia 810 Ultra, which allows high spatial resolution, nanoscale 3D imaging using X-ray computed tomography (CT). Results Dentine: In the peritubular dentine, micro-cracks ran parallel to the tubules whereas in the inter-tubular region, the cracks ran orthogonal to the dentinal tubules. These cracks extended to a mean depth of approximately 10 μm below the surface. On the dentine surface, there was preferential ablation of the less mineralised intertubular dentine, and this resulted in an irregular topography associated with tubules. Enamel: The irradiated enamel surface showed a characteristic 'rough' morphology suggesting some preferential ablation along certain microstructure directions. There appears to be very little subsurface damage, with the prismatic structure remaining intact. Conclusions A possible mechanism is that laser radiation is transmitted down the dentinal tubules causing micro-cracks to form in the dentinal tubule walls that tend to be limited to this region. Clinical relevance Crack might be a source of fracture as it represents a weak point and subsequently might lead to a failure in restorative dentistry.

Objectives:The purpose of this study was to determine if Er: YAG laser etching improves the shear bond strength (SBS) of Biodentin™ and GC Fuji IX® to dentine.Materials and Methods:Forty human dentine specimens were standardized and embedded in stone. The specimens were randomized into four groups (n = 10). Twenty samples were treated with the Er: YAG laser radiation and 10 of these restored with GC Fuji IX® and 10 with Biodentine™. The remaining 20 specimens acted as controls (no laser treatment); 10 were restored with GC Fuji IX® and 10 with Biodentin™. All samples were then stored in an incubator at 37.5°C and 100% humidity for 7 days. The SBS was determined using a Zwick universal testing machine. A two-way analysis of variance test was used to evaluate the statistical difference in SBS between the groups. An independent sample t-test was used to determine the statistical significance of differences between control and lased groups within the same material.Results:A highly statistically significant difference in SBS was found with the laser treatment (P = 0.0001) and material (i.e., Biodentin™ or Fuji IX® (P = 0.0001). The GC Fuji IX® group recorded the highest mean SBS required to dislodge the material from the laser-treated dentine surface (1.77 ± 0.22 Mega-Pascal [MPa]). The mean SBS of Biodentin™ to dentine following the laser radiation (1.12 ± 0.16 MPa) was significantly greater compared to the nonlased dentine (0.53 ± 0.09). Pearson Chi-square test indicated a nonsignificant relation between shear strength and mode of failure (P = 0.467).Conclusion:Laser etching of the dentine surfaces yielded a significant increase in the bond strength for both GC Fuji IX® and Biodentin™. The SBS of Biodentin™ to dentine is greater than with conventional glass ionomer (Fuji IX®).

This study aimed to compare the antimicrobial effect of an aqueous extract Red Roselle calyx (RE), Chlorhexidine (CH), Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (ACA), Tetracycline (Tet), and Metronidazole (Met)on Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) bacteria. The bacterial inhibition zones (BIZ)of the RE (25, 50, 75, 100) mg/ml and CH solutions (0.2%, 2%) were determined using the agar well diffusion method. Additionally, the susceptibility of the tested bacteria against (30 μg) of standard antibiotics of ACA, Tet, and Met was examined. The bacterial minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was measured using the Broth Micro dilution method (BMDM). All tests were carried out in triplicates, and water was considered the negative control. For S. mutans, the RE at 50 mg/ml or above concentrations displayed higher BIZ than 0.2% CH. 100 mg/ml of RE recorded a greater BIZ than the 2% CH. The greater BIZ against S. mutans was recorded by Tet. A comparable effect was found with 0.2% CH (75, 100) mg/ml of the RE against S. aureus. Greater BIZ for S. aureus and E. faecalis were reported for 100 mg/ml RE compared to the Tet and Met RE at 100 mg/ml inhibited the E. faecalis growth in a zone size comparable to the CH (0.2%, 2%).The RE with 50,100 mg/ml concentrations showed comparable antimicrobial effect to 0.2%, 2% concentrations of CH, respectively. As an herbal substitute for commercial disinfectants, the RE can be considered an effective final endodontic irrigant and dental mouthwash.