Impact of Er:YAG laser on wound healing following nonsurgical therapy: A pilot study

Enhancing Root Canal Disinfection with Er:YAG Laser: A Systematic Review

Background: The quest for minimally invasive disinfection in endodontics has led to using Erbium:Yttrium-Aluminum-Garnet (Er:YAG) lasers. Conventional approaches may leave bacterial reservoirs in complex canal anatomies. Er:YAG's strong water absorption generates photoacoustic streaming, improving smear layer removal with lower thermal risk than other laser systems. Methods: This systematic review followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Database searches (PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane Library) identified studies (2015-2025) on Er:YAG laser-assisted root canal disinfection. Fifteen articles met the inclusion criteria: antibacterial efficacy, biofilm disruption, or smear layer removal. Data on laser settings, irrigants, and outcomes were extracted. The risk of bias was assessed using a ten-item checklist, based on guidelines from the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Results: All studies found Er:YAG laser activation significantly improved root canal disinfection over conventional or ultrasonic methods. Photon-induced photoacoustic streaming (PIPS) and shock wave-enhanced emission photoacoustic streaming (SWEEPS) yielded superior bacterial reduction, especially apically, and enabled lower sodium hypochlorite concentrations without sacrificing efficacy. Some research indicated reduced post-operative discomfort. However, protocols, laser parameters, and outcome measures varied, limiting direct comparisons and emphasizing the need for more standardized, long-term clinical trials. Conclusions: Er:YAG laser-assisted irrigation appears highly effective in biofilm disruption and smear layer removal, supporting deeper irrigant penetration. While findings are promising, further standardized research is needed to solidify guidelines and confirm Er:YAG lasers' long-term clinical benefits.

A histological evaluation of the mice oral mucosal tissue wounds excised with diode laser, Er:YAG laser, and cold scalpel

Laser has been considered to show many favorable characteristics, including wound healing acceleration, hemostasis, biostimulation, and microbial inhibition. Previous studies have investigated the effect of laser treatment during the process of wound healing, with conflicting results. To date, there is still no unified conclusion on the effect and application principle of clinical laser therapy. This study evaluated the incision morphology, wound healing speed, and histological changes in mice oral mucosal wounds excised with diode laser, Er:YAG laser, and cold scalpel. The results showed that compared with the cold scalpel group, laser treatments caused more tissue thermal damage and carbonization, which led to a healing delay. However, lasers also showed some advantages, including hemostasis, regular incision, and immune response mobilization, suggesting that lasers may be beneficial in some specific cases, such as reducing intraoperative accidents and wound tissue laceration and controlling bleeding and postoperative infection. This study provides a theoretical basis for clarifying the effect of laser treatments and their clinical application principle.