LA&HA - Journal of the Laser and Health Academy
Volume: 2013 | number: 2
ISSN (print):1855-9913 | ISSN (web): 1855-9921

Comparative Measurement of the Ablation Efficacy of a Quantum Square Pulse Er:YAG Dental Laser

Cene Filipic, Tomaz Suhovrsnik
Pages: 8-12

Erbium dental lasers differ not only in their wavelength (Er:YAG at 2.94 μm and Er,Cr:YSGG at 2.73 μm) but also in their range of available pulse duration modes. Recently, a new Er:YAG laser pulse duration mode, the Quantum Square Pulse (QSP) mode, was introduced. An important advantage of the QSP mode is that it significantly reduces the undesirable effects of laser beam scattering and absorption in the debris cloud during hard-tissue ablation. In this comparative ablation study, the ablation efficacy and speed of the QSP mode in enamel was compared with those of the highest power modes available in Er:YAG and Er,Cr:YSGG dental lasers. In terms of the ablated volume per laser energy, the QSP mode Er:YAG laser was found to be about 1.3 times more efficacious than the SP mode Er:YAG laser, and 1.8 times more efficacious than the H mode Er,Cr:YSGG laser. Due to the enhanced ablation efficacy of the QSP mode, a larger percentage of the Er:YAG laser is utilized for ablation, and not for undesirable heating of the treated tissue. Consequently, doctors using QSP mode, in contrast to other tested erbium laser pulse duration modes, are expected to benefit from significantly faster ablation and greater precision.

Key words: Er:YAG; Er,Cr:YSGG, laser dentistry, ablation, QSP, quantum square pulse.

Article: J. LA&HA, Vol. 2013, No. 2; pp.08-12.

Comparative Measurement of the Ablation Efficacy of a Quantum Square Pulse Er:YAG Dental Laser