Effects of 10,600 nm carbon dioxide laser on remineralizing caries: A literature review

Abstract

Objective: To study the effects of carbon dioxide (CO2) lasers (λ = 10,600 nm) on remineralizing dental caries. Methods: This study involved performing a systematic search of English articles archived in the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. The keywords used to identify the relevant articles were ((CO2 laser) OR (carbon dioxide laser)) AND ((dental caries) OR (tooth remineralization)). Publications before 2019 were selected. The titles and abstracts of the initially identified articles were screened. Duplicate records, reviews, and irrelevant studies were removed. Full texts were retrieved for publications that studied the effects of CO2 lasers on remineralizing dental caries. Results: The search identified 543 potentially relevant publications. A total of 285 duplicate records were removed. Sixteen articles were included in this review. Four studies reported that CO2 lasers inhibited bacterial growth. The growth of cariogenic bacteria, mainly Streptococcus mutans, on an irradiated tooth surface was slower compared with nonirradiated ones. Four studies investigated the reduction of the demineralization of enamel with cariogenic challenge. They found that CO2 lasers reduced the carbonate content of mineralized tissues and increased the microhardness of enamel. Nine studies used CO2 lasers associated with topical fluorides in remineralizing dental caries. The results of the synergistic effect of laser irradiation and fluoride application with regard to the inhibition of caries progression varied among these studies, whereas laser irradiation could enhance fluoride uptake to demineralized mineral tissues. Conclusions: CO2 laser irradiation increased acid resistance and facilitated the fluoride uptake of caries-like lesions. In addition, it reduced the growth of cariogenic bacteria.