Background:Enterococcus faecalis has been widely used as a valuable microbiological pathogen for in vitro studies due to its ability to successfully colonize the root canal in a biofilm-like style, invade dentinal tubules, and resist endodontic treatment procedures.The aim of this study was to compare the bactericidal efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT), 2% chlorhexidine, 2.5% NaOCl, and combination of PDT and 2.5% NaOCl against E. faecalis.Materials and Methods:Sixty single-rooted teeth had their canals contaminated with E. faecalis in brain heart infusion broth and were incubated for 48 hours.The canals were then subjected to 2% chlorhexidine, 2.5% NaOCl, PDT (red light emitting diode 625 nm+ Toludine Blue) and PDT + 2.5% NaOCl. Controls consisted of no treatment (positive control) and without inoculation of bacterium (negative control). Following treatment, the canal contents were sampled with sterile paper points.The samples were dispersed in transport medium, serially diluted, and cultured on blood agar to determine the number of colony forming units (CFU). Data were analyzed by Mann-Whitney U test at 5% significance level. The significance level for all analyses was set at P <.05.Results:Combination of PDT and 2.5% NaOCl achieved maximum reduction in recovered viable bacteria, no viable bacteria was observed after treatment of PDT + 2.5% NaOCl.Conclusion:Combination of PDT and 2.5% NaOCl simultaneously is effective in the elimination of E. faecalis from dentinal tubules under the conditions of this study.

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Introduction: This double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial aimed to investigate the analgesic efficacy of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) with two different locations, and their comparison, in postoperative endodontic pain (PEP) levels in molars diagnosed with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis. Methods: Seventy-five patients with a molar tooth, diagnosed with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis, were divided into three groups of placebo, buccal only irradiation (BI), and buccal and lingual irradiation (BLI), with 25 cases being in each group. The participants received similar singlevisit nonsurgical endodontic treatments. Then, a sham laser was used in the control group instead of LLLT. Individuals in BI and BLI groups received 80-second irradiation on the buccal surface and 80-second irradiation on each of the buccal and lingual surfaces respectively. A laser with an 808 nm wavelength, power of 100 mW, a fiber diameter of 600 μm, and a dose of 70 J/cm2 was used. PEP was assessed using a 0-100 mm VAS 4, 8, 24, and 48 hours after the treatment. Results: BLI showed a significantly higher reduction of PEP compared to placebo in all time intervals of this study. BLI was significantly more effective than BI 8 hours after the treatment. However, intragroup differences between BLI and BI groups at other time intervals and between BI and placebo groups in all time intervals were not significant. The number of taken analgesics in the BLI group was significantly lower than the placebo group and was on a statistical borderline compared to the BI group. Conclusion: LLLT with BLI was an effective measure as a supplement to oral analgesics in the reduction of PEP compared to the placebo.

Background:The aim of this study was to evaluate apical transportation and centering ability of single-file instruments, WaveOne primary, with full rotation versus reciprocation movement using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) analysis in curved mesiobuccal (MB) root canal of human mandibular molars.Materials and Methods:Thirty MB canals of mandibular molars were randomly divided into two groups according to the instrument motion (n = 15): Group 1, reciprocation/WaveOne primary; Group 2, continuous rotation/WaveOne primary. After preparation, the amount of apical transportation and centering ability were assessed by evaluating pre- and post-instrumentation CBCT scans in three section (1, 3, and 5 mm from apical foramen). Statistical analysis of the data was performed using Mann-Whitney U-test and Friedman test (α = 0.05).Results:There was no statistically significant difference between two experimental groups in terms of apical transportation and centering ratio at 1, 3, and 5 mm from apical foramen (P > 0.05).Conclusion:Apical transportation and centering ability of WaveOne primary reciprocating instrument did not significantly differ between two motion patterns.

Introduction: This study assessed the effect of apical size and taper on the efficacy of root canal disinfection with LED photodynamic therapy (PDT) as an adjunct to irrigation with sodium hypochlorite. Methods: A total of 126 extracted human mandibular molars were divided into 4 groups. The mesiobuccal canal was prepared to size 25/4% in group 1, 25/6% in group 2, 30/4% in group 3, and 30/6% in group 4 using the iRaCe rotary system. A 21-day Enterococcus faecalis biofilm was prepared and used for inoculation of the canals. Each group was randomly divided into 3 subgroups for canal disinfection with 2.5% sodium hypochlorite, sodium hypochlorite plus LED PDT and saline (positive control). Samples from the root canals were obtained with rotary files and cultured. Microbiologic data were analyzed using the Poisson regression test. Results: The bacterial count significantly decreased following disinfection with sodium hypochlorite with/without PDT in all sizes and tapers of preparation compared with the control group (P<0.05). Increasing the apical taper or apical size and the use of PDT as an adjunct did not have a significant effect on the reduction of the bacterial count (P>0.05). However, the apical size and PDT had a significant effect on the number of residual bacteria (P<0.05), and increasing the apical size and conduction of PDT significantly decreased the number of residual bacteria. Conclusion: The apical size and taper and the use of PDT as an adjunct did not have a significant effect on the reduction of the bacterial count. However, increasing the apical size and conduction of PDT as an adjunct to sodium hypochlorite irrigation significantly decreased the number of residual bacteria in the root canal system.