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Properties of Zirconia, Lithium Disilicate Glass Ceramics, and VITA ENAMIC<sup>®</sup> Hybrid Ceramic Dental Materials Following Ultra-Short Femtosecond (30 <i>fs</i>) Laser Irradiation
oleh: Victor L. Lagunov, Bakhtiar Ali, Laurence J. Walsh, Andrew B. Cameron, Igor V. Litvinyuk, Maksym Rybachuk, Roy George
| Format: | Article |
|---|---|
| Diterbitkan: | MDPI AG 2024-08-01 |
Deskripsi
This study investigated the dose-dependent changes in the chemical composition of three dental ceramic materials—zirconia, lithium disilicate (LD), and VITA ENAMIC<sup>®</sup> hybrid composite (VITA <i>En</i>)—following irradiation with an ultra-short femtosecond (<i>fs</i>) laser (800 nm, 30 <i>fs</i>, 1 kHz) in an ambient air environment using average laser power (76 mW) and scanning speeds (50, 100, and 200 mm/s), simulating dental treatment processes. The chemical composition of the ablated regions was analyzed using energy dispersive spectroscopy. All irradiated samples showed increased carbon content (by up to 42%) and reduced oxygen (by up to 33%). The observed increase in C content is likely attributed to a combination of surface reactions, adsorption of carbon from the ambient environment, and carbon deposition from the laser-induced plasma, all facilitated by the high-energy conditions created by <i>fs</i>-laser pulses. Scanning electron microscopy revealed ablation with progressive controlled melting and recrystallization, with an absence of pile-up features typically associated with significant thermal damage. These findings demonstrate that ultra-short <i>fs</i>-laser irradiation induces highly controlled, dose-dependent changes in the chemical composition and surface morphology of dental ceramic materials.