The Effect of the Er3+:YAG Laser Decontamination Process on the Surface of Titanium Alloys, Depending on the Exposure Parameters

The dynamic development of laser therapy in dentistry is associated, among other factors, with the bactericidal effect of the energy emitted by laser devices. Therefore, they are also helpful for decontamination. They are increasingly used in the treatment of peri-implantitis, a bacterial inflammation of peri-implant tissues that is the most severe late complication of implantation and a potential cause of implant loss. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the safety of laser decontamination of the implant surface with respect to its effect on the integrity of the implant structure. In the present study, blocks of the titanium alloys Ti-6Al4V and Ti6Al7Nb were fabricated using electron-beam powder bed fusion and laser powder bed fusion, respectively. These alloys, commonly used in implantology, here in the form of Ti block scaffolds, have been exposed to an Er³⁺:YAG laser under various parameters (energy range of 50-320 mJ, exposure times of 20 or 30 s), and their effects have been further observed. To determine the changes induced by the laser, the following techniques were used: X-ray diffraction (XRD), Rietveld refinement method, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with EDS (Energy-dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy), and thermography. The results show that the proposed Ti6Al4V and Ti6Al7Nb scaffolds can be exposed to an Er³⁺:YAG laser without damage when the power is limited to 0.5 W.