This study provides useful information on the choice of appropriate energy parameters to use during application of pulsed Nd:YAG energy for root canal therapy.
Objective: To evaluate the effect of different irradiation times on the occlusion of dentinal tubules when using Nd:YAG laser. Background data: Dentin hypersensitivity is a frequent problem that has limited treatment success despite many chemical and physical therapies. Methods: Four coronal dentin disks 2 mm thick were cut with a low-speed diamond saw from four freshly extracted intact first molars. The coronal dentin surface of each disk was divided into four regions, each approximately 2 mm × 3 mm. The dentin surfaces were treated with 27% EDTA then the four regions irradiated separately in a randomized pattern with a Nd:YAG laser (120 mJ, 5 Hz), using irradiation times of 0 s, 20 s, 40 s and 60 s, representing laser energies of 0 J/cm 2 , 200 J/cm 2 , 400 J/cm 2 and 600 J/cm 2 , respectively. SEM photomicrographs were taken at 1500× and 3000× to calculate the dentinal tubule orifice occlusion rates and to measure the tubule diameters, respectively.
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