ABSTRACT
AIM AND OBJECTIVE: The aim and objective of the study was to evaluate and compare the antimicrobial efficacy of a diode laser irradiation, ultrasonic activated and conventional irrigation with 2.5% NaOCl on obligatory and facultative anaerobic bacteria in single-rooted canals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Total of 60 permanent maxillary and mandibular single-rooted (single canal) anterior teeth were selected. First microbial sample (S1) was collected after access opening and working length determination, using a sterile paper point. Cleaning and shaping were performed, with each instrument change accompanied by irrigation using 2 mL 2.5% NaOCl. After cleaning and shaping, disinfection protocol using diode laser (group1), ultrasonic activated irrigation with 2.5% NaOCl (group 2) and conventional irrigation with 2.5% NaOCl (group 3) was performed and second microbial sample (S2) was obtained. The colony characters of each type of growth on each media were noted and the organisms were identified using standard biochemical reactions. RESULT: Gram-positive and gram-negative facultative anaerobe were predominantly isolated from the culture, and the highest reduction of the microbial count was seen in diode laser group with 60.92% followed by the ultrasonic group with 47.22% reduction and least reduction was observed in conventional irrigation with the ultrasonic group with 37.97%. The results were statistically significant with p-value <0.05. CONCLUSION: Diode laser disinfection showed the highest reduction of microbial count compared to ultrasonic activated and conventional needle irrigation with 2.5% NaOCl group. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: This study will help us to choose wisely between various irrigating methods and protocols. Diode laser in our study has shown superior disinfection of the root canals compared to others.
