Comparative analysis of laser and ultrasonic irrigation techniques for smear layer removal in endodontics

Description

Muhammad Mahmoud Abaza, Tarek Abdel Hamid Harhash, and Ahmed Abbas Zaky compare ways to remove the smear layer from root canals, a cleaning step that decides endodontic success. The in vitro study used 160 single-rooted premolars. They were instrumented and divided among four rinse methods: two laser systems, passive ultrasonic irrigation, and conventional syringe-needle irrigation. Each method was subdivided by rinse solution. The solutions included sodium hypochlorite with EDTA, each agent alone, and saline.

Rinses ran in repeated short cycles. Blinded graders scored smear layer from electron microscope images across the canal's thirds. The erbium laser achieved the best cleaning across all thirds, outperforming the diode laser, ultrasonics, and syringe rinse. The combined hypochlorite-EDTA solution was the most effective irrigant. Remarkably, saline activated by the erbium laser beat hypochlorite alone, evidence that the laser's physical effects dominate. Apical thirds were hardest to clean in case after case.

Catalog record

Source: https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC12701868