Structural and functional changes of cementum surface following exposure to a modified Nd:YAG laser
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the structural changes in root cementum following KTP laser treatment and to test the influence of these changes on the adherence of fibroblasts to treated surfaces. Fifteen intact human single-rooted teeth were prepared by curetting and sectioning. Four treatment groups were evaluated at varying energy levels. Following lasing, specimens were examined under SEM for detection of any structural changes. Photomicrographs were obtained, and the number of attached fibroblasts were counted. Results showed that lased cement surfaces exhibited changes in surface topography, which ranged from fusion of the surface at the lowest energy level to cracking and fissuring at the highest energy level. When fibroblasts were cultured on the specimens, the results demonstrated a monolayer of cells on the control surfaces and on the surfaces lased with the lowest energy level. Specimens lased at the mid-energy level showed decreased numbers of attached cells, but not significantly different from the controls. The cementum surfaces lased at the highest energy levels showed a significant decrease in the number of attached cells as compared with the controls. Thus, modification of the cement surface was dependent on the energy level. [P.W;]
Tewfik, H.M., J.J. Garnick, G.S. Schuster, and M.M. Sharawy, J Periodont, 65:297,1994