Evaluation of the antimicrobial effect of Er:YAG laser irradiation versus 1% sodium hypochlorite irrigation for root canal disinfection.

This laboratory study evaluated Er:YAG laser antibacterial action in infected root canals. Forty-eight maxillary central incisors were used. After canal preparation, the teeth were autoclaved and divided into four groups: (1) non-treated teeth (control group); (2) teeth treated with NaOCl; (3) teeth irradiated with Er:YAG laser (7 Hz, 100 mJ, 80 pulses/canal, 11 sec) to the working length; (4) teeth irradiated similarly to, but 3 mm short, of the apex. The root canals from Groups 2, 3 and 4 were inoculated with 4 bacteria: Bacillus subtillus, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus, together with Candida albicans, and maintained for 24 h at 37 degrees C. All suspensions were adjusted to tube 2 of the MacFarland scale. The intracanal material was then collected with sterile paper points, which were placed in the canals for 5 min and then immersed in 5 ml of BHI medium. This was then seeded onto agar and stained by Gram's method. The NaOCl solutions and the Er:YAG laser irradiation to working length were effective against all five micro-organisms; however, 70% of the specimens irradiated 3 mm short of the apex remained infected.