Plasma is the fourth state of matter and others are liquid, gas, and solid. Plasma occurs as a natural phenomenon in the universe and appears in the form of fire, in the polar aurora borealis and in the nuclear fusion reactions of the sun. It can be produced artificially which has gained importance in the fields of plasma screens or light sources. Plasma is of two types: Thermal and nonthermal or cold atmospheric plasma (CAP). Thermal plasma has electrons and heavy particles (ions and neutral) at the same temperature. Cold atmospheric plasma is said to be nonthermal as it has electron at a hotter temperature than the heavy particles that are at room temperature. Cold atmospheric plasma is a specific type of plasma, i.e., <104°F at the point of application. It could become a new and painless method to prepare cavities for restoration with improved longevity. Also it is capable of bacterial inactivation and noninflammatory tissue alteration, which makes it an attractive tool for the treatment of dental caries and for composite restorations. Plasma can also be used for tooth whitening. This review focuses on some dental application of plasma.
How to cite this article
Nair RS, Babu B, Mushtaq E. Cold Atmospheric Plasma in Dentistry. J Oper Dent Endod 2016;1(2):82-86.
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