Objective: to investigate the effect of the Er,Cr:YSGG laser in removing debris and smear layer from prepared root canal walls compared with conventional irrigants. Methods: 50 extracted human mature permanent teeth with a single root canal were selected and were radiographed. The crowns were removed at the level of the cementoenamel junction. The working length of each root canal was established 1 mm short of the apical foramen. All teeth were cleaned and shaped using step-back preparation and flexible files and irrigation with 5.25% NaOCl and 3% H2O2 up to size 50. The teeth were randomly divided into five groups. Group 1 (control) roots were irrigated with 10 m of 5.25% NaOCl for 5 minutes followed by a final rinse of 2 ml of distilled water. Group 2 roots were irrigated with 10 ml of 17% EDTA for 5 minutes. Group 3 roots were irrigated with 10 ml of 6% citric acid for 5 minutes. In Group 4 and 5 the root canals were irradiated with Er,Cr:YSGG laser (Biolase, USA) using an output of 0.5W and 0.75W respectively with water spray cooling. The roots were split longitudinally and were examined under SEM at coronal, mid and apical root sections. Data were analysed by Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests. Results: There was a statistically significant difference between Groups 1,2 and 3 compared with Groups 4 and 5 in the middle and apical thirds (p<0.01), but no difference between the groups in the coronal third (p<0.01). There was no significant difference between Groups 1, 2 and 3 and none between Groups 4 and 5. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that the Er,Cr:YSGG laser is more effective in removing debris and smear layer from root canal walls in middle and apical thirds compared with conventional endodontic irrigants.

Back to the Dental Materials: VIII - Others-Non-metallic Program
Back to the IADR/AADR/CADR 83rd General Session (March 9-12, 2005)

Top Level Search