Efficiency of diode laser and sodium hypochlorite as root canal disinfectant against Enterococcus Faecalis: An In vitro study

Abstract

Objectives: The main objective of the current in vitro study is to compare the antimicrobial efficiency of diode laser 1064nm at different output powers and times with sodium hypochlorite at different concentrations and times against E. faecalis when used as root canal disinfectant. Materials and methods: 140 human extracted single-rooted teeth were decoronated to a length 14mm from the apical foramen to the cervical border of the root, then adjusted working length to 13mm, autoclaved and inoculated with a suspension of E. faecalis at a concentration 4×105 cfu and incubated at 37˚C for 24 hours. Samples were divided into 14 groups each group consisted of 10 prepared roots, sixty samples were irrigated with NaOCl solution at different concentrations and times. Sixty samples were irradiated at different powers at the total irradiation time 30 and 60 sec, the remainder twenty samples were control positive and negative groups. Results: All concentrations, powers and times for both diode laser 1064nm and NaOCl had significant antimicrobial effects against E. faecalis. 5.25% NaOCl at both 2 minutes and 5 minutes had the highest antimicrobial effect with no significant differences from 3W laser/10sec and 2.5W/10sec for (6 cycles) but significantly different from 3W/5sec (6 cycles). The lowest effect was 0.5% NaOCl/2min that significantly different from all other groups. Conclusion: Diode laser device seems to be highly suitable for killing E. faecalis as NaOCl irrigant in root canals if appropriate energy and irradiated time used