The Effect Of Laser Irradiation And Photopolymerization On Silver Particle Penetration Of Silver Diamine Fluoride On The Tooth Surface: An In Vitro Study

Background: Dental caries is a globally prevalent preventable oral disease that affects individuals of all ages.Preserving the vitality of the pulp in primary teeth with deep carious lesions is challenging for dental practitioners.There has been a substantial increase in the utilization of minimally invasive therapeutic techniques, which are replacing conventional restorative treatments.Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) is an efficient, non-invasive material that prevents and arrests dental caries.The laser application and photopolymerization on silver diamine fluoride could increase the penetration of silver particles which increases the dentinal hardness and antimicrobial effect.Aim: To evaluate the effect of hard tissue laser, diode laser, and curing light on the penetration depth of silver particles of Silver Diamine Fluoride.Materials and methods: 56 sound teeth were selected.These teeth underwent demineralization for artificial caries formation.SDF was applied in Group 1: SDF, Group 2: SDF + Curing light, Group 3: SDF + Diode laser, and Group 4: SDF + Er: YAG laser.These samples underwent scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive ray spectroscopy analysis.Results: It revealed that Group 3 (764.7)and Group 4 (761.1)show maximum penetration depth followed by Group 2 (709.5) and least in Group 1 (661.29).Conclusions: The use of the diode laser and Er: YAG laser after the SDF application significantly increased the penetration depth of silver compared to curing light with SDF and the SDF group.Applying laser irradiation following SDF application increases the formation of silver ions in infected dentin, enhancing the antibacterial efficacy.