Evaluating and comparing the morphological and histopathological changes induced by erbium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser and diamond bur on enamel, dentin and pulp tissue.
AIM
Lasers are used for different types of dental treatments. Using the erbium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er:YAG) laser to remove dental hard tissue is simple, advantageous and influences the type of cavity preparation, whether conventional or conservative in nature. The aim of the present study was to evaluate and compare the morphological and histopathological changes in the enamel, dentin and pulp tissue of the teeth treated by Er:YAG laser and conventional burs.


METHODS
A conventional class I cavity was prepared in orthodontic patients by laser and bur. The teeth were extracted and analyzed for morphological changes using a scanning electron microscope, ground sections and histopathological changes under a light microscope.


RESULTS
The time with laser was longer than the conventional methods. The lased cavity showed irregular appearance with absence of smear layer which is suitable for the resin restoration. The ground section and the histopathological study showed no differences between the groups.


CONCLUSION
The Er:YAG laser is effective in the removal of dental hard tissue without damaging the pulp when coupled with ideal energy output. It is widely used in different dental fields. It needs time to be accepted by dentist and patients and further studies are required to explore its advantages.
['Shamsudeen|Shaik Mohamed|SM|https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8222-6139', 'Thavarajah|Rooban|R|https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4159-4576', 'Joshua|Elizabeth|E|', 'Rao|Uma Devi K|UDK|', 'Kannan|Ranganathan|R|']
D000535:Aluminum D003737:Dental Cavity Preparation D003743:Dental Enamel D003804:Dentin D018130:Diamond D004871:Erbium D006801:Humans D053844:Lasers, Solid-State D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning D015019:Yttrium
histopathology laser bur scanning electron microscope restoration