Ultrafast Lasers for Surface Texturing: Transforming the Future of Dental Biomaterials

The advancements in laser technology have enabled its widespread application in the materials science, manufacturing, and healthcare industries. Among these, laser-assisted surface modification of biomedical materials is currently one of the most widely investigated research areas owing to the multiple advantages of laser-based techniques over conventional methods. When a laser beam of adequate energy is irradiated onto a substrate, it induces ablation through melting, evaporation, and resolidification, resulting in micro/nanolevel surface features. Such laser-assisted surface treatment, a noncontact method, offers significant control over process parameters, enabling high reproducibility of surface features. Pulsed lasers, more particularly those with nanosecond, picosecond, and femtosecond pulse durations, are extensively used for surface modification of dental biomaterials due to their precision and effectiveness. The applications of laser-based surface texturing span from enhancing osseointegration and antimicrobial properties to improving tribological properties such as reduced friction, wear, and corrosion resistance. Among these, most of the research focused on the effect of laser patterning on improving the surface characteristics of biomaterials. Achieving surfaces with optimum characteristics requires an intricate understanding of laser-matter interaction mechanisms, material properties, and the effect of laser patterning parameters on the material surface. In this regard, there is considerable scope for exploring the suitability of lasers as a potential tool for surface modification of biomaterials. In addition, in-depth research is anticipated to advance the efficiency of dental biomaterials. This review aims to dive deep into the principles of controlled laser ablation, the effects of various laser parameters on material surface properties, and the role of material surface properties, on the overall performance of dental biomaterials. While laser patterning is used to alter the surface characteristics for a variety of applications, the current review focuses primarily on laser surface modification to achieve superior osseointegration and reduce microbial adhesion.