LASERS IN DENTISTRY IN PARTICULAR CONSIDE RATION OF STATIONARY TEMPERATURES IN PULP CAVITY DURING LASER TREATMENT OF DENTAL HARD-TISSUE WITH THE KRF EXCIMER-LASER AT 248 NM USING DIFFERENT FREQUENCIES

The purpose of the present study was to examine the heat building up i n the pulp cavity during superficial laser preparation, to examine the tooth surface structure at the area treated by laser and to assess th e possible duration of treatment on the bais of the rate of tissue rem oval. Following laser application, a scanning electron microscopic exa mination of the tooth surface revealed a smooth structure without crac ks or fissures. Although the KrF excimer laser (lambda = 248 nm) prove d to be applicable in dentistry with regard to its physical properties , several reasons speak against applying it in clinical practice yet. Treatment, for example, would take too much time as sufficiant enamel may only be removed at a high frequency. Moreover, the question of a p ossible mutagenicity of the excimer laser with a wave-length of 248 nm has not been answered satisfactorily yet.