Prof. dr. Roeland J.G. De Moore, DDS, PhD, MSc, Msc.
Head of the Research Cluster of Endodontics, Department of Oral Health Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium
Director of the three-year Master after Master Program in Endodontics, Ghent University, Belgium
Adjunct Professor at the Medical University of Vienna, Austria
Ghent Dental Laser Centre
Ghent, Belgium
Laser-activated irrigation (LAI) and biofilm interaction: the difference with other irrigant activation techniques
Biofilm infections are difficult to treat. Not only do biofilms possess a wide range of defense mechanisms, in endodontics there is the additional challenge to interact with the biofilm in areas that are difficult to reach.
Enhancing the fluid dynamics of irrigation solutions, therefore, becomes interesting as this may be the first solution to go through the entire complex 3D anatomical construction of the root canal system. Specific dynamics are also needed for interaction with the biofilm and more specifically biofilm disruption. In addition, there is also the possibility to make irrigation solutions more reactive during irrigant activation.
With Erbium laser driven LAI, all these 3 criteria can be met. Moreover, research data have shown that LAI outperforms the gold standard i.e. ultrasonically active irrigation.
During this presentation, the comparison of LAI with sonically and ultrasonically active irrigation is made. The differences are also supported by means of high speed imaging of the fluid dynamics and the way in which the interaction with a biofilm is achieved, and an in depth explanation of these differences is given.