Research progress on the application of Er: YAG laser removing all-ceramic restorations

All-ceramic restorations are widely used in oral restoration because of their beauty and high strength. Glass ceramics and zirconia all-ceramic materials are the two most widely used all-ceramic materials in the clinic. However, when all-ceramic restorations need to be removed due to marginal microleakage and secondary caries, its high strength and high bonding strength greatly increase the difficulty of removal. In recent years, clinicians have tried to use Er: YAG lasers to remove all-ceramic restorations. The Er: YAG laser can be safely and efficiently applied to the removal of glass restorations, and it can also play a role in thinner zirconia restorations. Various factors, such as the material and thickness of the all-ceramic restoration, the type of cement, and the laser power, can affect the speed of removal of the Er: YAG laser. However, the current research is limited to case reports and in vitro studies, lacking systematic clinical research. The specific mechanism of Er: YAG laser removal of all-ceramic restorations and the influence of laser frequency, adhesive type, and abutment on the removal speed need to be further demonstrated by follow-up research.