This study aimed to compare the effect of precementation desensitizing laser treatment and conventional desensitizing agents on crown retention. Crowns were fabricated for 50 molar teeth, and specimens were assigned to 5 groups based on treatment method: untreated control group (CON), laser group (LAS), sodium fluoride group (FLU), Oxagel oxalate group (OXA), and Gluma primer group (GLU). All crowns were luted with glass-ionomer cement. Tensile force was applied for crown dislodgement. Recorded forces and calculated retentive strengths were as follows: CON (261 N) > LAS (223 N) = FLU (208 N) > GLU (161 N) = OXA (147 N) (P .05). The differences in force magnitudes between all groups were significant (P .05), except for LAS versus FLU and GLU versus OXA. The retention decrease was 15% for LAS, 20% for FLU, 38% for GLU, and 44% for OXA. Laser treatment had a less negative effect on retention for crowns luted with glass-ionomer cement than the other treatment modalities, and it may be a more suitable desensitization method if crown retention can be moderately sacrificed.