CARIES-LIKE LESION INITIATION AND PROGRESSION IN SOUND ENAMEL FOLLOWING ARGON-LASER IRRADIATION - AN IN-VITRO STUDY

There has been a recent resurgence of interest in the role of lasers i n prevention and treatment of enamel and dentinal caries. At relativel y high energy levels, it is possible to produce a surface melt and eff ectively seal an enamel or dentinal surface, while producing only a 4- degrees-C increase in pulpal temperature. In this study the depth of t he body of the lesion was reduced by 41 percent for those lesions expo sed to argon laser irradiation.