Comparison of the Enterococcus faecalis Colony Reduction Effect of Two Wavelengths of Diode Lasers With Three Methods of Root Canal Irrigation: An In Vitro Study

Abstract

Introduction: The basis of successful root canal therapy is the reduction of microorganisms. The aim of this in vitro study was to compare the antibacterial effect of three different irrigation methods with two laser wavelengths on Enterococcus faecalis biofilm. Methods: Ninety-five single-canal teeth were prepared, sterilized, and divided randomly into a negative control, a positive control, and five test groups. They were inoculated with the standard strain of E. faecalis. The test groups were conventional irrigation (group 1), Passive ultrasonic irrigation (group 2), Gentle file finisher brush (group 3), 810 nm diode laser (group 4), and 980 nm diode laser (group 5). Microbial sampling, cultivation, and colony counting were done. Data were analyzed with the Kruskal-Wallis test and a negative binomial regression model. Results: There was a significant difference in the colony count between the groups (P<0.001). the 810 nm diode had the highest and the conventional irrigation group had the lowest reduction in the microbial load. Passive ultrasonic, 980 nm diode laser, and Gentle file finisher brush groups were also ranked respectively from the highest to the lowest in terms of decreasing effect on the number of colonies. Conclusion: The 810 nm diode laser and conventional irrigation were respectively the most and the least effective methods for reducing the number of E. faecalis colonies.