Restoration Integrity in Primary Teeth Prepared Using Erbium/Yttrium–Aluminum–Garnet Laser: A Randomized Split-Mouth Clinical Study

Abstract

The most frequently used and universally accepted technique for removing caries is mechanical ablation of decayed tissues by rotating drills. New minimally invasive strategies, such as the use of lasers to perform highly controlled tissue ablation, have been introduced in dental practice. The aim of this study was to assess and compare treatment with a 2940 nm erbium/yttrium–aluminum–garnet (Er:YAG) laser versus a conventional rotary treatment during cavity preparation in children with regard to restoration integrity. In a randomized, controlled, blinded trial using a split-mouth design, 40 (9–12-year-old) children with 80 carious primary molars were included. The cavity in one quadrant was randomized to be treated conventionally using a bur, while the cavity in the other quadrant was prepared using an Er:YAG laser. At the one-year follow-up, clinical examinations were conducted to assess the integrity of the restorations according to the Ryge criteria. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 22 (IBM Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). The average age of the participants was 9.4 ± 1.29 years. Males accounted for 51.4% of the participants. The Ryge criteria showed clinical success of restorations, and there was no discernible difference between the conventional and laser intervention techniques. Over one year, no statistically significant differences in the clinical integrity based on the Ryge criteria were found following class I cavity preparation in primary teeth with either procedure.

Micro-Morphological Features of the Er:YAG-Lased Interface in Primary Teeth: 12 Months Randomized Split-Mouth Trial

“…The clinical significance of the present study lies in the fact that the clinical success of the restorations used in this study was investigated and reported in a previous study, using precise clinical and radiographic evaluation standards, which resulted in outstandingly successful restorations [5]. The current research revealed instances of bond interface failures in both conventional and Er:YAG laser-prepared cavity preparations, underscoring the challenge of precisely assessing the bonding interface, which was a part of the success of the restoration, particularly the dentin floor interface, in a clinical setting using clinical assessment tools.…”

“…Previous research has indicated that the Er:YAG laser has promise for application in cavity preparation within the field of pediatric dentistry. This is attributed to the enhanced cooperation observed among young patients when undergoing dental cavity preparation using the Er:YAG laser [5][6][7]. The aforementioned benefit can be ascribed to the absence of vibration, noise, and forceful water jet commonly associated with traditional cavity preparation techniques.…”