THE IN VITRO ROLE OF DIODE LASER IN ERADICATION OF ENTEROCOCCUS FAECALIS INFECTION IN DENTAL PULP

Alaa Turki Monawer* and Ismaeil Mohammed Abdulkahar**

ABSTRACT

Background: Root canal treatment has been the main form of treatment for endodontic infections, and it comprises, chiefly, of physical instrumentation coupled with chemical irrigation. The primary objective of endodontic therapy is to eradicate bacteria in the root canal and associated regions. Objective: To investigate the antibacterial effect of a diode laser on Enterococcus faecalis in deep root canal dentin. Materials and Method: Two hundred extracted single rooted teeth were selected for this study. The root canals were prepared and shaped with sterile reamers (#15-35) and diode laser needle was introduced into the canal and microbiological samples were collected from each tooth using sterile paper points before and after the treatment with diode laser and inoculated into(brain heart infusion agar and blood agar)for the isolation and identification of Enterococcus faecalis. Results: Twenty one (10.5%) isolates of Enterococcus faecalis were isolated from 200 single rooted canals, after treatment with diode laser 20 (95.2%) isolates were eradicated, whereas only 1 (4.8%) isolate was resistant to treatment with diode laser. Conclusion: Diode laser method was very effective in the elimination of Enterococcus faecalis from infected single rooted canals.

Keywords: Diode laser, Enterococcus faecalis, dental pulp, brain heart infusion agar, blood agar.