Background: During in-office bleaching, appropriate light sources are applied in order to enhance the activity of the bleaching gels applied onto teeth. For this method to be effective, a high absorption of light within the gel is necessary. Variation in the light attenuation capability of the gel, the duration of application and light activation can contribute towards safety hazards associated with this procedure. Methods: In this study, seven different gels and hydrogen peroxide have been evaluated for their optical properties by means of spectrophotometry (440–1000 nm). The transmitted light spectrum was used to estimate the intensity loss for each gel. The mean intensity decreases observed were statistically analysed using an analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: The five more-pigmented gels tested indicated a very similar intensity loss of around 80%, whereas the remaining two gels showed significantly less attenuation (predominantly, p < 10⁻⁶). Conclusions: Throughout the spectrum of wavelengths examined, and according to the underlying studies evaluated, five of the gels assessed demonstrated an attenuation high enough to possibly avoid overheating of the underlying enamel dentine and pulp. An evaluation of appropriate irradiation parameters is proposed.

A three-dimensional, thermal-structural finite element model, originally developed for the study of laser–solid interactions and the generation and propagation of surface acoustic waves in the macroscopic level, was downscaled for the investigation of the surface roughness influence on pulsed laser–solid interactions. The dimensions of the computational domain were reduced to include the laser-heated area of interest. The initially flat surface was progressively downscaled to model the spatial roughness profile characteristics with increasing geometrical accuracy. Since we focused on the plastic and melting regimes, where structural changes occur in the submicrometer scale, the proposed downscaling approach allowed for their accurate positioning. Additionally, the multiscale simulation results were discussed in relation to experimental findings based on white light interferometry. The combination of this multiscale modeling approach with the experimental methodology presented in this study provides a multilevel scientific tool for an in-depth analysis of the influence of heat parameters on the surface roughness of solid materials and can be further extended to various laser–solid interaction applications.

We use non-destructive Digital Holographic Speckle Pattern Interferometry (DHSPI), post-processing image analysis and one-dimensional exponential analysis to visualize, map and describe the structural condition of a plaster-based material. The body is heated by infrared radiation for two different time windows and the cooling process that follows is monitored in time by the so-called interferograms that are developed and are the result of the superposition of the holographic recordings of the sample prior to the thermal load and at variable time intervals during the cooling process. The fringe patterns in the interferometric images reveal features and characteristics of the interior of the material, with the experimental method and the post-process analysis adopted in this work offering accuracy, sensitivity and full-field diagnosis, in a completely non-destructive manner, without the need of sampling.

Background: Despite intensive research, the ideal protocol applied to maximize the overall benefits of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) remains unexplored. Evidence exists that following aPDT, the diffused light beyond the photosensitizer can exert a secondary therapeutic effect known as photobiomodulation (PBM), which stimulates the healing of the surrounding tissues. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the attenuation properties of five different photosensitizers activated by their corresponding laser wavelengths. Methods: The illumination of various concentrations of chosen photosensitizers, curcumin, methylene blue, toluidine blue, indocyanine green and a methylene blue derivative, irradiated by their respective laser wavelengths (445 nm, 635 nm, 660 nm and 808 nm) was explored via a spectrophotometric analysis. The onward transmitted light intensities for each combination of a photosensitizer and laser wavelength were assessed. The attenuation percentages observed were statistically evaluated using an analysis-of-variance (ANOVA) model. A Tukey’s post hoc test was performed to determine the significance of differences between individual group mean values. Results: With the exception of toluidine blue illuminated by an 808 nm laser, which showed the lowest intensity loss, all the other photosensitizers presented an attenuation range of 63% to 99%. Conclusions: At appropriate concentrations, all the examined photosensitizers may allow the passage of sufficient wavelength-dependent light transmission. Calculated fluences are proposed to achieve secondary, beneficial PBM effects.

In the current work we report on the generation of acoustic strains in thin ZnO layers using optoacoustic transduction of ultrashort laser pulses into acoustic waves on an Au thin film transducer. After absorption of energy by the electron system of the metal, energy conversion, thermal expansion and mechanical deformation takes place. The generation and propagation of the induced acoustic strains are monitored in time via a degenerate pump-probe transient reflectivity optical setup at 800 nm, as opposed to most commonly used schemes that employ different wavelengths for the pump and probe beams, mostly in the vicinity of ZnO maximum absorption. The experimental results include energy relaxation times and phonon scattering frequencies and are supported by a thermal vibro-acoustic finite element model. The model is based on the combination of a revised two-temperature approach and elasticity theory, and considers anisotropic properties for the ZnO film and the computation of the elastic wave velocity for the first time. The outcomes are discussed in the context of electron–phonon coupling factors and other material properties. A good agreement between the experimental findings and the results from the numerical simulations has been established, regarding outcomes like the mean velocity of the strain waves, establishing a novel characterization method applicable to a variety of materials and structures.