Application of Laser in Caries Diagnosis and Inhibition-An Invivo Study

The aim of the study was to evaluate the potentiality of aluminium gallium arsenide laser in caries diagnosis and caries inhibition. Dental caries is the one of the most common oral affliction affecting humankind. The management strategies are dependent on the stage at which caries is detected. The incipient carious lesions are characterized by subsurface dissolution due to more fluoride ions in the 50–100 microns of the tooth's outer surface. Sub surface, non cavitated lesions are amenable to remineralization, thus early detection and diagnosis is of prime importance. Aluminium gallium arsenide lasers have wide range of clinical applications like diagnosis in field of operative dentistry and endodontics, soft tissue conditions. Its applicability in hard tissues of teeth is still being explored. 10 Patients of either sex, between age of 18 years to 25 years having initial pit and fissure caries on first or second mandibular molar were included in the pilot study and its respective contralateral tooth served as control. The laser fluorescence method values were noted for both test/treatment and control. The concerned teeth-was irradiated with 810 nm Aluminium gallium arsenide (AlGaAs) diode laser (Whitestar ^TM, Creation, Verona, Italy) for 30 seconds followed by application of remineralizing paste containing casein phospho peptide amorphous calcium phosphate with fluoride (CPP-ACP-F). The contralateral tooth type serve as control-(Group A), in which after noting laser fluorescence readings only remineralization paste was applied. The laser fluorescence method values are noted. Thereafter follow up at 3, 6 monthly intervals included serial scanning with Laser fluorescence pen and comparison with baseline reading. The readings determined if caries has been inhibited, arrested or progressed. Statistical analysis was done using paired ‘t’ test to compare control and test groups and calculation of the mean. Laser fluorescence values in test group have remarkably decreased soon after irradiation and this was followed by further decrease in values even during follow up. Laser fluorescence can be used as tool for diagnosis of dental caries and laser irradiation leads to caries inhibition.