Westerman Gary H, Flaitz Catherine M, Powell G Lynn, Hicks M John
Department of Community and Preventive Dentistry, Creighton University, School of Dentistry, Omaha, Nebraska, USA.
J Clin Laser Med Surg. 2002 Oct;20(5):257-62. doi: 10.1089/10445470260420768.
The purpose of this in vitro laboratory study was to determine the effect of low-fluence argon laser (AL) irradiation delivered from two different argon laser systems on enamel caries-like lesion initiation and progression.
Previous in vitro investigations and a recent in vivo pilot study have shown that AL irradiation of enamel provided a protective effect against in vitro and in vivo cariogenic challenges.
Twenty extracted human molars were selected, and 10 teeth were assigned to the HGM argon laser group and 10 were assigned to the LaserMed argon laser group. The exposed buccal windows of sound enamel were exposed to low-fluence irradiation, while the lingual windows of enamel were not exposed to laser irradiation and served as the no-treatment (control) group. Enamel caries-like lesions were created using an acidified gel. Two longitudinal sections were taken per sample (n = 20 lesions per group) and evaluated by polarized light microscopy for body of the lesion depths after lesion initiation (8 weeks) and progression (12 weeks) periods.
After lesion initiation and progression, the body of lesion depths were similar for both argon-irradiated groups (p > 0.05). With the no-treatment (control) group, there were significant increases in lesion depth with a 61-78% increase for the lesion initiation period and a 50-69% increase for the lesion progression period when compared with the argon laser-treated groups.
Argon laser irradiation provides a certain degree of protection against in vitro enamel caries initiation and progression. Resistance to a continuous caries challenge was similar with either argon laser delivery systems (HGM and LaserMed). Argon laser irradiation may prove to be beneficial in reducing the caries susceptibility of sound enamel and white spot lesions in the clinical environment.
本体外实验室研究的目的是确定两种不同氩激光系统发出的低能量氩激光（AL）照射对釉质龋样病变的起始和进展的影响。
先前的体外研究和最近的一项体内初步研究表明，对釉质进行AL照射可对体外和体内的致龋挑战提供保护作用。
选取20颗拔除的人类磨牙，10颗牙齿分配至HGM氩激光组，10颗牙齿分配至LaserMed氩激光组。健康釉质暴露的颊侧窗口接受低能量照射，而釉质的舌侧窗口不接受激光照射，作为未处理（对照）组。使用酸化凝胶形成釉质龋样病变。每个样本取两个纵向切片（每组n = 20个病变），并在病变起始期（8周）和进展期（12周）后通过偏光显微镜评估病变体部深度。
在病变起始和进展后，两个氩激光照射组的病变体部深度相似（p > 0.05）。与未处理（对照）组相比，在病变起始期病变深度显著增加，增加了61 - 78%，在病变进展期增加了50 - 69%。
氩激光照射对体外釉质龋的起始和进展提供一定程度的保护。两种氩激光发射系统（HGM和LaserMed）对持续龋挑战的抵抗力相似。氩激光照射在临床环境中可能被证明有助于降低健康釉质和白斑病变的龋易感性。
