[Preparation of hard tooth structure with Excimer lasers. In vitro study]

The present study will show, that caries removal and conditioning of tooth surfaces by an (ArF)*-Excimer-Laser is an alternative to conventional preparation methods without thermal and mechanical irritations. This promises caries removal without pain to the patient. The photoablative process leads to retentive surfaces of the treated cavities. These findings promise good results in adhesive techniques. In vitro studies show, that photoablation of dental tissue is effective enough to make clinical usage possible.