Qualitative analysis of teeth and evaluation of amalgam elements penetration into dental matrix using laser induced breakdown spectroscopy.

Introduction: In this study, laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is used for qualitative analysis of healthy and carious teeth. The technique of laser ablation is receiving increasing attention for applications in dentistry, specifically for the treatment of teeth such as drilling of micro-holes and plaque removal.

Methods: A quality-switched (Q-switched) Neodymium-Doped Yttrium Aluminium Garnet (Nd:YAG) laser operating at wavelength of 1064 nm, pulse energy of 90 mJ/pulse, repetition rate of 2Hz and pulse duration of 6 ns was used in this analysis.

Discrimination of healthy and carious teeth using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy and partial least square discriminant analysis.

In the laser drilling of teeth, a microplasma is generated which may be utilized for elemental analysis of ablated tissue via a laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technique. In this study, LIBS is used to investigate the possibility of discrimination of healthy and carious tooth tissues. This possibility is examined using multivariate statistical analysis called partial least square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) based on atomic and ionic emission lines of teeth LIBS spectra belonging to P, Ca, Mg, Zn, K, Sr, C, Na, H, and O elements.