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A comparative SEM study between hand instrument and Er:YAG laser scaling and root planing
A Moghare Abed1, M Tawakkoli, M A Dehchenari
1Dental School, Isfahan Medical University, Isfahan, Tehran, Iran.
Lasers in Medical Science
|November 23, 2006
Summary
This study compared erbium: yttrium, aluminium, garnet (Er:YAG) laser and hand instruments for scaling and root planing in vitro. Er:YAG laser treatment resulted in more root surface roughness than hand instrumentation.
Area of Science:
- Dentistry
- Periodontology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Periodontal diseases require scaling and root planing for treatment.
- Conventional hand instrumentation for calculus removal can be time-consuming and incomplete.
- Lasers are being explored as alternatives or adjuncts for more efficient periodontal therapy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the in vitro effectiveness of subgingival scaling and root planing using an Er:YAG laser versus traditional hand instrumentation.
- To evaluate the root surface morphology after treatment with both methods.
Main Methods:
- Fifteen periodontally compromised extracted teeth were randomly treated with either hand instrumentation or Er:YAG laser.
- Er:YAG laser parameters: very long pulse mode (approx. 700 µs), 160 mJ energy, 920 µm beam diameter, 12 Hz frequency, with air-water spray.
- Root surface morphology was assessed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) at 50x and 400x magnification.
Main Results:
- A statistically significant difference in remaining root surface roughness was observed between the two groups.
- The Er:YAG laser group exhibited greater surface roughness compared to the hand instrumentation group.
- While demonstrating in vitro capability, the tested Er:YAG laser setting was less effective than hand instrumentation for scaling and root planing.
Conclusions:
- The in vitro results suggest that the tested Er:YAG laser parameters for scaling and root planing lead to increased root surface roughness compared to hand instruments.
- Lower laser frequencies and longer pulse durations may be more suitable for preserving root surface micro-morphology.
- Further research is warranted to optimize laser parameters for effective and safe periodontal treatment.
