Abstract
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the color and morphological changes of titanium dental implants after Er:YAG laser irradiation. Four different manufactured dental implants, ANKYLOS® with sand-blasted surface, Straumann®, CAMLOG® and SPI® with sandblasted and acid-etched surface, were exposed to Er:YAG laser irradiation with water spray at an energy density of 6.4～17.9 J/cm2. After Er:YAG laser irradiation, the surfaces of the implants were examined by stereomicroscope and scanning electron microscope. In the irradiated surface of each implant, brown discoloration after low energy density irradiation and blue discoloration after high energy density irradiation were observed. Melting of titanium was seen in the blue discolored area. Color alteration was detected at 6.4 J/cm2 on the surface of CAMLOG® or Straumann®, 8.5 J/cm2 on the surface of ANKYLOS®, and 13.5 J/cm2 on the surface of SPI®. Melting was observed at 12.4 J/cm2 on the surface of CAMLOG®, 13.5 J/cm2 on the surface of Straumann® or ANKYLOS®, and 17.9 J/cm2 on the surface of SPI®. The color and morphological changes occurred in the microstructured surface of the titanium implant with sand-blasted and acid etched surface with low energy density irradiation except SPI® products. These findings suggested that the surface changes of an implant induced by Er:YAG laser irradiation differed for each product, even in the case of implants with similar morphological surface.
