Irradiation of dental enamel with Q-switched lambda = 355-nm laser pulses: surface morphology, fluoride adsorption, and adhesion to composite resin.

Background And Objectives: Lasers can be used to modify the chemical composition of dental enamel to increase the bond strength to restorative materials and to render the mineral phase more resistant to acid dissolution. Previous studies have suggested a synergistic relationship between CO(2) laser irradiation and fluoride treatment on increased resistance to acid dissolution. In this study a near-UV laser operating with lambda = 355-nm laser pulses of 3-5 nanoseconds duration was used to modify the surface morphology of dental enamel to increase the bond strength to restorative materials and increase the uptake of topical fluoride to render the surface more resistant to acid dissolution.