Ultrastructural Analysis of Er:YAG Lased Bovine Dentin Contaminated by Cariogenic Bacteria

The purpose of this study is to investigate the crystal structure of bacteria-contaminated bovine dentin after Er:YAG laser irradiation at various energy densities from macroscale, microscale, and nanoscale. Er:YAG laser can change the morphology and chemical components of dentin. Few preliminary researchers investigate the laser effect on crystal in dentin tissue. Twenty dentin specimens from bovine incisors were cocultured with S. mutans (UA 159) and divided into four groups with diverse Er:YAG laser irradiation energy (0, 6.37, 12.73, 19.11 J/cm²). The ultrastructure of dentin before and after laser irradiation was investigated with nanoanalytical electron microscopy. X-ray diffraction provided the information of lattice parameters in dentin. The morphology of dentin was observed by scanning electron microscopy. High-resolution transmission electron microscope images and selected-area electron diffraction patterns were obtained for characterizing crystal domain size, structure, and microenvironment of dentin. The combination of these methods disclosed that there exist mineralized, demineralized, and remineralized dentin in the bacteria-invaded dentin and can be feasibly recognized using morphological features. Laser treatments influence hydroxyapatite (HAp) crystals in dentin tissue in different ways: needle HAp in mineralized dentin tissue keeps intact with laser irradiation of no higher than 19.11 J/cm²; laser irradiation improves the crystallinity of lamella HAp by domain growth and rearranges its growth orientations. We report an unprecedented presence of remineralization zone consisting of lamella HAp crystals with distinct high-index planes. These findings have broad implications on the role of laser operation in driving biomineralization and shed new insights into a possible relationship between laser irradiation and remineralization.