ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND/AIMS

The main objectives of the current research were to compare the conventional etching and alternative laser etching techniques and to evaluate the microleakage and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analysis of pit and fissure sealants.

METHODS and MATERIALS

The extracted teeth were randomly selected, and 120 extracted teeth were divided into four experimental groups as follows: Group 1: Bur invasion and Conventional acid etching; Group 2: Bur invasion and Laser etching; Group 3: Laser etching; and Group 4: Laser etching and Conventional acid etching. According to experimental groups, teeth were treated with 37% phosphoric acid and laser parameters were set at a 2780 nm wavelength with a 140-µs pulse duration and a pulse repetition rate of 20 Hz. The power output was determined to be 1.75 watts. Then, a thermal cycle was applied to all samples to imitate an oral environment. After the thermal cycle procedure, each experimental group was randomly divided into two groups for microleakage tests and SEM analysis.

RESULTS

No statistically significant difference in microleakage scores was determined among the experimental groups (p>0.05). The fissure sealant adaptation was detected to be higher in Group 1 than in Group 2 and Group 3, and this difference was found to be statistically significant (p<0.05). The same trend was observed in Group 4, Group 3, and Group 2, with Group 4 having the higher fissure sealant adaptation (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Er,Cr:YSSG laser and acid etching combination can be a good choice and is comparable to bur invasion from the standpoint of the high pit and fissure adaptation.