Examining the Effect of Laser Radiation on the Repair of Dental Composite Restorations: A Systematic Review

Background: This study aimed to determine the impact of laser radiation on the repair bond strength of dental composite restorations by gathering, assessing, and systematically reviewing previous articles referring to this issue. Methods: Several previous studies relevant to the objectives of this research were found in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. All prior articles indexed in these databases according to the selected keywords until 2018 were gathered and assessed. Some article abstracts showed the necessary basic conditions for inclusion in the study. Therefore, the full texts of these relevant articles were further evaluated in terms of the study objectives. Results: A total of 300 relevant articles were obtained by searching the databases. Eight studies remained highly relevant after performing a title review, eliminating the duplicate articles, and implementing the selection criteria. The latest study was conducted in 2018. A statistically significant difference was observed between the impacts of laser and other methods in the seven of these final relevant studies. Of these articles, five indicated a better impact in the case of other methods, particularly the dental milling technique, and one study was related to the impacts of the laser method. Additionally, the Er,Cr: YSGG laser was considered the most adequate laser in these studies. Conclusions: According to the review of prior studies on the impact of laser radiation on the repair bond strength of composite restorations, Er: YAG and Er,Cr: YSGG lasers are advised for surface preparation of composites. However, surface preparation by adopting the milling technique remains the adequate choice for repairing composites.