Temperature Changes during Er:YAG Laser Activation with the Side-Firing Spiral Endo Tip in Root Canal Treatment

Sharonit Sahar-Helft, Nathanyel Sebbane, Adi Farber, Ronit Vogt Sionov, Roni Dakar, Doron Steinberg*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Er:YAG) laser-activated irrigation (LAI) is used in endodontic treatment to remove the smear layer and kill bacteria in the root canal. However, this procedure can cause photo-thermal effects that harm the surrounding tissue. Therefore, it was important to study the temperature changes that occur at the outer tooth surface during activation of the Er:YAG laser using a side-firing spiral Endo tip in the root canal. Laser treatment was performed either in the absence of fluid in the root canal or in the presence of a 17% EDTA solution. Irrigation with 17% EDTA was either performed in a continuous mode for 60 s or in a segmented mode of 4 rinses with 17% EDTA for 15 s each. The temperature was measured every second during the treatment at three tooth surface sites: the cementoenamel junction, the middle region and the apical region. Our data show that the greatest temperature changes occurred when the laser was used alone without an irrigation solution, while minor temperature changes were observed with continuous irrigation. In conclusion, we would recommend applying the laser treatment with an irrigation solution to avoid excessive heating.

Original languageEnglish
Article number488
JournalPhotonics
Volume10
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the authors.

Keywords

  • Er:YAG laser
  • bacteria
  • endodontic treatment
  • new side-firing spiral Endo tip
  • smear layer
  • temperature

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