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This study was designed to evaluate the combined effect of topical fluoride application on the surface micro hardness and fluoride deposition of -dental enamel, after irradiation of pulsed Nd:YAG laser or argon laser. 400 enamel specimen from bovine and human teeth were prepared and assigned to 4 groups as follows ; (1) control group without any treatment, (2) specimen treated with only fluoride compound, (3) specimen treated with fluoride compound after irradiation of pulsed Nd:YAG laser, (4) specimen treated with fluoride compound after irradiation of argon laser. Each experimental groups were divided again into 3 sub-groups as 2% NaF group, 8% SnF2 group, 1.23% APF group. 20 specimen were assigned to all groups. With Vicker´s micro hardness tester (Wilson U.S.A.) and Fluoride Ionalyzer (Orion Research Inc., Model 96-09 U.S.A.), Knoof´s micro hardness and fluoride concentration for each specimen were measured. In all experimental groups, micro hardness and fluoride concentration of dental enamel were markedly increased compared with the control group, and higher in group treated with fluoride compound after laser irradiation than group treated with only fluoride compound. Enamel micro hardness was highest in group treated with SnF2 after irradiation of pulsed Nd:YAG laser and fluoride concentration was increased highest in group treated with APF after irradiation of argon laser.
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