Short pulse duration ultraviolet (UV) lasers have been investigated as a possible alternative to infrared (IR) lasers for hard tissue removal because, due to the short pulse duration and higher UV radiation absorption coefficient of dentin and enamel, thermal damage to dental tissues and heat transfer to the pulp are minimized [1]. Nevertheless, a detailed study of the influence of UV radiation on hard dental tissues is of utmost importance to enable the use of this type of lasers in dentistry. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the morphological, structural and compositional changes caused on human enamel by laser irradiation using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. The results are compared with those obtained using infrared lasers.
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