Microbiological study of the efficiency of root canal treatment with Er:yYAG laser

Mechanical and drug treatment of the root canal are the most important components of the success of endodontic treatment. This work presents the results on the effectiveness of the root canal disinfection using an erbium laser in combination with a 17% solution of ethylene diaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) in vitro and in clinical studies. An in vitro study was carried out on removed intact teeth infected with strains of Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus sanguinis, and Candida albicans. An experimental group of teeth was treated medically according to a standard protocol using 3% solution of sodium hypochlorite and 17% solution of EDTA followed by irradiation with erbium laser. The control group was treated similarly but without laser irradiation. The treatment effectiveness was evaluated by the reduction of CFU. After the treatment, in the control group after the mechanical and drug treatment, the CFU amount lowered by 4 times, while the complete sterilization was observed in the experimental group. The clinical studies included two groups of 35 patients each diagnosed with chronic periodontitis. In the experimental group of patients, at the final stage, treatment with erbium laser for 1 min using endodontic piece (40 mJ power, 2940 nm wavelength, 10 Hz pulse rate) and a 17% EDTA solution was performed before filling. Periodontitis treatment in the control group was carried out without the laser treatment. The control group of patients saw the reduction on CFU after the mechanical and drug treatment by 3–6 times, while the experimental group achieved the complete sterilization of the root canals. The obtained results prove that the modification of the root canal treatment by the inclusion of erbium laser irradiation is a promising direction in endodontics.

erbium laser (Er:YAG), laser-activated irrigation, endodontic treatment, microbiological study, root canal

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