ABSTRACT
Despite considerable improvements in oral health, dental caries remains a public health issue. The most frequently used technique to remove caries is through rotating drills. New minimally invasive strategies were introduced into dental practice, such as the use of lasers to perform highly controlled tissue ablation while limiting pain and discomfort, as well as overcoming drill phobia. The objective was to assess and compare treatment with Er:YAG laser versus a conventional rotary treatment during cavity preparation in children with regard to bond interface quality. In a randomized trial using a split-mouth design, 40 (9-12 year-old) children with 80 carious primary molars were included. The cavity in one quadrant was treated conventionally using a bur, while the cavity in the other quadrant was prepared using an Er:YAG laser. Twenty restored teeth were extracted after one year. The SEM histological evaluation of bond interface results demonstrated no statistically significant differences between restorations placed following bur preparation and those placed following the Er:YAG laser preparation, and both treatments demonstrated promising results. Over a one-year period, no statistically significant differences in the bond interface quality were observed following class I cavity preparation in primary teeth with either Er:YAG laser or a conventional rotary bur.
ABSTRACT
Aim and objective: To assess and compare children's anxiety level and pain perception during cavity preparation using an erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Er:YAG) laser vs traditional rotational treatment. Materials and methods: A randomized, controlled, split-mouth clinical trial was carried out in 35 healthy children with 70 carious primary molars. Teeth were divided equally into two groups according to the method of treatment. A bur was used to prepare the cavity in one quadrant, while an Er:YAG laser was used to prepare the cavity in the other quadrant. Anxiety was assessed using Venham's dental anxiety scale and a fingertip pulse oximeter. The pain was assessed using the Wong-Baker Face Pain Rating Scale, and the number of local anesthesia (LA) needed during both procedures was also considered. Results: The mean age was 9.4 ± 1.29. Males accounted for 51.4% of the participants. There were no statistically significant variations in pulse rate at the baseline between Er:YAG laser and the conventional treatments. The mean pulse rate was higher during the conventional intervention than during the laser intervention; this difference was statistically significant vs the baseline pulse rate. The mean pulse rate with the conventional method was significantly higher during and after cavity formation than with the laser method. The Er:YAG laser and the conventional groups showed statistically significant differences in the Venham's and Wong-Baker scores. The scores of both scales were much higher in the conventional group. The number of participants who requested LA during the conventional technique was significantly higher than during the laser procedure. Conclusion: Using Er:YAG lasers to remove caries produces minimal pain and anxiety and reduces the requirement for LA. Clinical significance: During cavity preparation, the Er:YAG laser helps children stay calm. How to cite this article: Abdrabuh RE, El Meligy OAES, Felemban OM, et al. Evaluation of the Erbium-doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet Laser and the Conventional Method on Pain Perception and Anxiety Level in Children during Caries Removal: A Randomized Split-mouth Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2023;16(S-1):S39-S44.
ABSTRACT
The most frequently used and universally accepted technique for removing caries is mechanical ablation of decayed tissues by rotating drills. New minimally invasive strategies, such as the use of lasers to perform highly controlled tissue ablation, have been introduced in dental practice. The aim of this study was to assess and compare treatment with a 2940 nm erbium/yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er:YAG) laser versus a conventional rotary treatment during cavity preparation in children with regard to restoration integrity. In a randomized, controlled, blinded trial using a split-mouth design, 40 (9-12-year-old) children with 80 carious primary molars were included. The cavity in one quadrant was randomized to be treated conventionally using a bur, while the cavity in the other quadrant was prepared using an Er:YAG laser. At the one-year follow-up, clinical examinations were conducted to assess the integrity of the restorations according to the Ryge criteria. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 22 (IBM Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). The average age of the participants was 9.4 ± 1.29 years. Males accounted for 51.4% of the participants. The Ryge criteria showed clinical success of restorations, and there was no discernible difference between the conventional and laser intervention techniques. Over one year, no statistically significant differences in the clinical integrity based on the Ryge criteria were found following class I cavity preparation in primary teeth with either procedure.
