The Effect of Er:YAG Laser on Entroccocus faecalis Bacterium in the Pulpectomy of Anterior Primary Teeth

Antibacterial Efficacy of Cold Atmospheric Plasma, Photodynamic Therapy with Two Photosensitizers, and Diode Laser on Primary Mandibular Second Molar Root Canals Infected with Enterococcus faecalis: An In Vitro Study

Objectives

This study aimed to compare the antibacterial efficacy of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP), photodynamic therapy (PDT) with two photosensitizers (PSs), and diode laser for disinfection of primary mandibular second molar root canals infected with Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis).

Materials and Methods

In this in vitro experimental study, 50 primary second primary molars underwent chemomechanical preparation of root canals. The root canals were then inoculated with E. faecalis. After 3 weeks of incubation, the teeth were randomly assigned to five groups of CAP, 940 nm diode laser, PDT with 445 nm laser and curcumin PS, PDT with 660 nm laser and methylene blue (MB) PS, and 2.5% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl). Samples were collected from the vortexed root canals and cultured on agar, and the number of colonies was counted. Data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance.

Results

The percentage of reduction in bacterial count was significantly different among the study groups (P < 0.001). The highest reduction in bacterial count was noted in 2.5% NaOCl and the lowest in 940 nm diode laser group. The difference in bacterial count reduction between 445 nm laser + curcumin and 660 nm laser + MB (P = 0.989), and CAP and NaOCl (P = 1.000) groups was not significant.

Conclusion

CAP was found to be more effective than PDT and diode laser as an adjunct to mechanical root canal disinfection of primary molars for elimination of E. faecalis and can serve as an alternative to 2.5% NaOCl irrigation.

Antibacterial Effects of the Novel Blue Laser and Erbium Chromium Laser on Enterococcus Faecalis in Root Canal Dentin with Different Thicknesses

The aim of this study was to investigate the antibacterial effects of 445 nm blue diode lasers and erbium chromium lasers on the biofilm of Enterococcus faecalis in root canal dentin with different thicknesses. Dentin slices with thicknesses of 300, 500, and 1,000 microns were prepared; and after the biofilm formation, they were randomly divided into four groups: group A : Er, Cr:YSGG laser radiation; group B: 445 nm diode laser radiation; group C : laser radiation in three cycles; and control group D: 5 samples of each thickness were selected as a positive control group. Er, Cr:YSGG and diode lasers alone did not significantly reduce the number of bacteria in any of the thicknesses. Only in 1 mm thick sections, the group exposed with the both Er, Cr:YSGG laser and 445 nm diode laser (66%) significantly reduced the number of bacteria. There was a significant difference in a thickness of 0.3 mm compared to a thickness of 1 mm, indicating that these lasers had a better effect at a thickness of 0.3 mm than at 1 mm parts (P-value < 0.008). It seems that these lasers can be used as an adjunct to conventional chemical methods in cleaning infected canals.