title: Evaluation of the antibacterial effects of intracanal Nd:YAG laser irradiation.
abstract: Fifty canals of extracted single-rooted teeth were prepared to a size 50 master apical file, sterilized in ethylene oxide, and inoculated with a known quantity of Bacillus stearothermophilus spores. Five groups of 10 canals each were used. The control group received no treatment. The four treatment groups were exposed to pulsed Nd:YAG laser radiation or 0.5% NaOCl alone and in combination. The root canals were flushed with sterile distilled water to recover spores, and serial dilutions were incubated on blood agar and the number of colony-forming units recovered was determined. Analysis of the data indicated a 2-log reduction in colony-forming units among the four treatment groups as compared with the controls; however, no significant differences were observed among the treatment groups. In none of the treatment groups were the root canals sterilized.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry.
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Hardee
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Miserendino
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kos
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Walia
mesh_terms: D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003786:Dental Pulp Cavity / Q000382:microbiology*; D001411:Geobacillus stearothermophilus / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006801:Humans; D007834:Lasers; D009354:Neodymium; D012390:Root Canal Therapy / Q000379:methods; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite
chemical_list: D009354:Neodymium; D012973:Sodium Hypochlorite