Erbium-Doped, Yttrium-Aluminum-Garnet Laser Debonding of Porcelain Laminate Veneers: An Ex vivo Study

BACKGROUND: The use of ceramic laminate veneer has considerably and successfully grown to improve anterior tooth esthetics in recent years. The removal of ceramic laminate veneers with laser is reported only in a scanty number of publications and for this reason the importance and the aim of this ex vivo study consist to verify the ability of Er: YAG laser for laminate veneers debonding with the preserving of the tooth structures (scanning electron microscopy [SEM] observations). AIM: The purpose of this study consists to verify if erbium-doped, yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er:YAG) laser, at low fluences, is able to debond porcelain veneers, successfully used to improve anterior tooth esthetics, without damaging the tooth structures. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A total of 12 freshly extracted teeth were used, and samples were decontaminated, stored, and bonded to obtain veneers adhesion. One week after, Er:YAG laser with a non-contact sapphire tip with air-water spray was used for veneer debonding at 100 mJ of energy and 30 Hz of frequency (Fluence 19.94 J/cm(2)). RESULTS: Results demonstrated that veneer debonding is possible with an Er:YAG laser and the total number of pulses seems not related to its efficiency. SEM observation confirms that residual tooth structure is not altered when using these low fluences. CONCLUSIONS: Low fluences with Er:YAG laser are able to debond veneers while preserving the tooth structures and SEM observation confirmed that residual tooth structure is not altered with low fluences.