SEM Studies Assessing the Efficacy of Laser Treatment for Primary Teeth: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Treating and limiting caries among young children are crucial issues for pediatric dentistry. In our systematic review, the authors intend to assess alterations in the surfaces of primary teeth following laser treatment using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The aim of this article is to systematically review and consolidate existing knowledge regarding the use of SEM imaging to assess the efficacy of laser treatment for primary teeth. On 10 November 2023, an electronic search was systematically conducted across PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Scopus databases with keywords ((laser) AND ((primary teeth) OR (deciduous teeth)) AND (SEM)). The initial pool consisted of 205 records, from which 93 duplicates were eliminated. After careful examination of the remaining articles, 24 records were included in this systematic review. The majority of articles suggest that laser treatment provides dentinal surface without a smear layer, enhances remineralization of enamel, and improves the bonding quality of resin restorations. However, some discrepancies are still present. Based on the gathered articles, the authors of this review have concluded that laser treatment could be applied to deciduous teeth in terms of caries treatment and remineralization although further research is still needed.