Disilicate Dental Ceramic Surface Preparation by 1070 nm Fiber Laser: Thermal and Ultrastructural Analysis

Lithium disilicate dental ceramic bonding, realized by using different resins, is strictly dependent on micro-mechanical retention and chemical adhesion. The aim of this in vitro study was to investigate the capability of a 1070 nm fiber laser for their surface treatment. Samples were irradiated by a pulsed fiber laser at 1070 nm with different parameters (peak power of 5, 7.5 and 10 kW, repetition rate (RR) 20 kHz, speed of 10 and 50 mm/s, and total energy density from 1.3 to 27 kW/cm²) and the thermal elevation during the experiment was recorded by a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) temperature sensor. Subsequently, the surface modifications were analyzed by optical microscope, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). With a peak power of 5 kW, RR of 20 kHz, and speed of 50 mm/s, the microscopic observation of the irradiated surface showed increased roughness with small areas of melting and carbonization. EDS analysis revealed that, with these parameters, there are no evident differences between laser-processed samples and controls. Thermal elevation during laser irradiation ranged between 5 °C and 9 °C. A 1070 nm fiber laser can be considered as a good device to increase the adhesion of lithium disilicate ceramics when optimum parameters are considered.