Clinical studies of carbon dioxide laser etching

Carbon dioxide (CO2) lasers are capable of altering the physical and chemical properties of enamel. Using repetitively pulsed modes, it is possible to produce surface irregularities that resemble those resulting from etching of enamel with orthophosphoric acid. The present report presents the results of a split mouth clinical study that compared laser etching and acid etching. The clinical success rate for laser etching (98.9%) was comparable to that for acid etching (98.9 vs. 98.5%, respectively; mean follow-up 9.7 months, range 3-24 months). These studies demonstrate that CO2 laser etching may provide a viable alternative to acid etching for particular applications such as fissure sealing.