title: Effect of photon-initiated photoacoustic streaming, passive ultrasonic, and sonic irrigation techniques on dentinal tubule penetration of irrigation solution: a confocal microscopic study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the efficacy of different irrigation techniques including laser-activated irrigation using an erbium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er:YAG) laser with a novel tip design (photon-induced photoacoustic streaming (PIPS)), Er:YAG laser with Preciso tip, sonic activation, and passive ultrasonic activation on the final irrigation solution penetration into dentinal tubules by using a laser scanning confocal microscope.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, 65 extracted single-rooted human mandibular premolars were instrumented up to size 40 and randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 13) based on the activation technique of the final irrigation solution as follows: conventional irrigation (control group), sonic activation, passive ultrasonic activation, Er:YAG-PIPS tip activation, and Er:YAG-Preciso tip activation. In each group, 5 mL of 5% NaOCl labeled with fluorescent dye was used during the activation as the final irrigation solution. Specimens were sectioned at 2.5 and 8 mm from the apex and then examined under a confocal microscope to calculate the dentinal tubule penetration area. Data were analyzed using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's post hoc tests (P = 0.05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both Er:YAG laser (Preciso/PIPS) activations exhibited a significantly higher penetration area than the other groups (P < 0.05). Additionally, passive ultrasonic activation had significantly higher penetration than the sonic activation group and the control group. Statistically significant differences were also found between each root canal third (coronal > middle > apical) (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results from the present study support the use of Er:YAG laser activation (Preciso/PIPS) to improve the effectiveness of the final irrigation procedure by increasing the irrigant penetration area into the dentinal tubules.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The activation of the irrigant and the creation of the streaming with the Er:YAG laser have a positive effect on the irrigant penetration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Izmir, Turkey. merve.akcay@ikc.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Merve
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akcay
authors.affiliation: Department of Endodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Arslan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Merve
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mese
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nazlı
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Durmus
authors.affiliation: Private Practice, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ismail Davut
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Capar
mesh_terms: D001641:Bicuspid; D003804:Dentin / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D017785:Photons; D011897:Random Allocation; D012388:Root Canal Irrigants / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D014465:Ultrasonics / Q000295:instrumentation*
chemical_list: D012388:Root Canal Irrigants
keywords: Confocal; Dentine tubule penetration; PIPS; Preciso; Sonic; Ultrasonic