Biological modification of tooth surface by laser-based apatite coating techniques

Development of new clinical regenerative procedures is needed for the reconstruction of the connective tissue attachment lost to periodontal disease. Apatite coating on the affected root surfaces could improve root surface biocompatibility and promote the reestablishment of connective tissue attachment.

We developed two novel techniques that use laser light for coating the tooth surface with apatite. In the laser-assisted biomimetic (LAB) process, a tooth substrate was placed in a supersaturated calcium phosphate solution and irradiated for 30 min with low-energy pulsed laser light. Due to the laser-assisted pseudo-biomineralization, a submicron-thick apatite film was created on the laser-irradiated tooth surface. Furthermore, we created a fluoride-incorporated apatite film on the tooth surface using the LAB process and demonstrated its antibacterial activity against Streptococcus mutans. In the laser-induced forward transfer with optical stamp (LIFTOP) process, a thin apatite film loaded with the cell-adhesion protein, fibronectin, was prepared beforehand as a raw material on the optical stamp (carbon- and polydimethylsiloxane-coated support) by a conventional biomimetic process. After irradiation with a single laser pulse, the film (microchip) was transferred onto a tooth substrate via laser ablation of the carbon sacrificial layer. The LIFTOP process requires only a short processing time and has a minimal heat effect on the film; thus, the film exhibits cell adhesion activity even after the LIFTOP process.

The LAB and LIFTOP processes have the potential as novel tools for tooth surface modification in the treatment of periodontal disease.