Laser ablation of human tooth

Abstract

We report the measurements of ablation threshold of human tooth in air using photo-thermal deflection technique. A third harmonic (355nm) of Nd:YAG (yttrium aluminum garnet) laser was used for irradiation and a low power helium neon laser as a probe beam. The experimental observations of ablation threshold in conjunction with theoretical model based on heat conduction equations for simulating the interaction of a laser radiation with a calcified tissue are used to estimate the absorption coefficient of human tooth.