Abstract
This study was conducted in order to identify zirconia surface modifications occurring after laser irradiation. Changes in roughness were investigated using three parameters: Ra in μm, Rz and Rq. Eighteen pieces of zirconia (square 15 mm board; 3 mm thickness) were prepared for the study. Specimens were randomly divided in two groups, each containing nine pieces. Group 1 was irradiated using neodymium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) dental laser and Group 2 was irradiated using erbium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er:YAG) dental laser. The specimens’ surfaces were analyzed using a profilometer, before and after irradiation. The mean Ra values were computed from four profiles, for each group. The results were statistically analyzed by t-test at the 95% confidence level. There were no differences between the initial roughness of the specimens (p=0.62), but there were significant differences between Group 1 and Group 2 after irradiations (p<0.001). The results of the statistical analyses and macroscopic aspect showed that laser irradiation produces roughness changes of zirconia. Nd:YAG laser irradiation produced significantly higher alterations, in surface roughness of zirconia, than Er:YAG..
Keywords
Dental CAD/CAM systems, Laser Therapy, Y-TZP zirconia, Roughness, Nd:YAG, Er:YAG.
Citation
D. POPA, I.-R. BORDEA, A. V. BURDE, B. CRIŞAN, R. S. CÂMPIAN, M. CONSTANTINIUC, Surface modification of zirconia after laser irradiation, Optoelectronics and Advanced Materials - Rapid Communications, 10, 9-10, September-October 2016, pp.785-788 (2016).
Submitted at: July 4, 2016
Accepted at: Sept. 29, 2016