Effects of the copper vapour laser radiation in the root canal wall dentine: in vitro experiment using scanning electron microscopy and stereoscopy

Ten human uniradicular teeth had their crown removed along the cement-enamel junction and right away a proper chemical-surgical preparation of the radicular canals was done; the roots were longitudinally sectioned in order to allow the irradiation of the surfaces of the root canals wall dentine. The hemi-roots were separated in two groups: group I (control), with four hemi-roots, not irradiated; and group II, with 16 hemi-roots, subdivided in four sub-groups submitted to the following exposition time: 0,02 s; 0,05 s; 0,1 s and 0,5 s. A copper vapour laser was used with a 510,6 nm wavelength, total average power of 11 W in green and yellow emissions; average power of 6,5 W in green emission; pulse repetition rate of 16.000 Hz and pulse duration of 30 ns. The pulse energy (green line) is 0,4 mJ and the peak power 13,5 W. The laser cavity is unstable type (R1=3.900 mm and R2-250 mm). The focusing have focal length lens f1=250 mm and f2=150 mm. The beam quality is of the M2=5. The results obtained by scanning electron microscopy analysis showed the appearance of a cavity in the region of the laser beam incidence in the edges of this cavity, dentin was melt and resolidified presenting also cracks due to heat diffusion. Based on these results, we concluded that the size of the cavity formed in the dentin is directly proportional to the rate of exposure and, the more laser emission in the same area, more damage in the root canals wall dentin occurs. More studies need to be done with different exposition's time in order to obtain a safety protocol that does not cause injury in dental and support tissue. (author)