Abstract
In order to obtain the basic data concerning the optimal lasing conditions in using Nd:YAG laser as an adjunctive modality of periodontal therapy of root planing without irreversible structural deterioration of cervical cementum, the author selected 36 human teeth having no cervical abrasion and caries (; 12 anteriors, 12 premolars. 12 molars) extracted due to periodontal diseases, and divided them into 4 groups as Group I, II, III and IV (; each group of 3 anteriors, 3 premolars, 3 molars), and prepared a cementum specimen with thickness of $1.0mm{\pm}0.2mm$ sectioned longitudinally at the middle of mesio-distal thickness (; Group I) or horizontally at 1mm-2mm below the cemento-enamel junction (; Group II, III, IV) from each tooth of each group by low speed diamond wheel saw, and treated them with 0.5 M ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (; EDTA, pH=7.4) for 2 minutes for elimination of remnants during tooth-sectioning. And the author applied the laser energy from a fiberoptic delivered, free running, pulsed Nd:YAG laser (; wavelength 1064nm. pulse duration $120{\mu}sec$, fiber diameter $320{{\mu}m}$) to cementum surfaces in triplicates of one experiment under the following lasing conditions: 1. stationary mode of fiber in contact to cementum surfaces without air-spray (; Group I )/with air-spray (; Group II), 2. unidirectional moving mode of fiber in contact to cementum surfaces under speed of 3mm-4mm/sec without air-spray (; Group III)/with air-spray (; Group IV), 3. energy per pulse (mJ/pulse) [; energy density ($J/cm^{2}$)] in order of 1.0W/10Hz (100J/pulse); $124J/cm^{2}$, 0.5W/10Hz (50mJ/pulse); $62J/cm^{2}$, 0.4W/10Hz (40mJ/pulse); $50J/cm^{2}$, 0.3W/10Hz (30mJ/pulse); $37J/cm^{2}$, 4. exposure time of 1 second. And the author applied the platinum coating on surfaces of cementum specimens, and evaluated the characteristics of ultrastructural change on surfaces of cementum using the scanning electron microscopy. In general the ultrastructural loss of cervical cementum irradiated under the same lasing condition of laser energy density occurred least in specimens of Group IV. And especially, the ultrastructural loss of cervical cementum irradiated under the laser energy density of $37J/cm^{2}$ almost did not occur in specimens of Group IV. Therefore, it is considered that the pulsed Nd:YAG laser should be applied with the lasing conditions of unidirectional moving mode of fiber in contact to cementum surfaces under speed of 3mm-4mm/sec with air-spray and of laser energy density within $37J/cm^{2}$ as an adjunctive modality of periodontal therapy of root planing without irreversible structural deterioration of cervical cementum.