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Randomized prospective parallel controlled study of the safety and effectiveness of Er:YAG laser use in children for caries removal

The Er:YAG laser has been proposed as a useful tool for caries removal. In this study, we report a prospective parallel controlled study of the Dental Erbium Laser for caries removal and cavity preparation in pediatric patients. A total of 92 patients in two separate sites were randomized to treatment in a 2:1 ratio laser to conventional dental drill. The subject ages ranged from 4 to 18 years with a mean of 10.5 years with an even distribution by gender. The mean recorded treatment energy for caries removal was 147 mJ and for cavity preparation was 170 mJ. There were no significant differences in pain reported by the drill or laser treated subjects, and no complications or adverse events were reported after treatment or at any other interval during the study. The determination of success was based on four criteria: (1) acceptable caries removal, (2) acceptable cavity preparation, (3) maintenance of pulp vitality, and (4) restoration intact and serviceable. Using these criteria, it was found that all 32 of the drill procedures were a success and 59 out of 60 laser procedures were a success. This study shows that the Erbium-YAG laser is suitable for caries removal and cavity preparation in children.