Antimicrobial Effect of Er,Cr: YSGG Laser on Dentine Infected by Lactobacillus and Candida albicans

Abstract

Introduction: Early childhood caries is a chronic disease affecting children under six years old, affecting multiple teeth shortly after eruption. Laser technology allows for less stressful lesion removal with numerous advantages. Objective: To evaluate the antimicrobial effect of Er,Cr:YSGG laser on infected temporary dentin by Lactobacillus spp. and Candida albicans. Materials and Methods: An in vitro experimental study where 30 samples of temporary dentin were randomly distributed into 5 groups. These samples were placed in bacterial culture media pre-inoculated with Lactobacillus spp. and Candida albicans, maintained under optimal temperature and sterility conditions, and then irradiated with Er,Cr:YSGG laser. Subsequently, they were transferred to sterile culture media, and microbial counts were performed in triplicate after 24 hours using serial dilutions. Results: The percentage reduction after laser treatment was 99.9% for Lactobacillus spp. and 98.4% for Candida albicans, indicating a significant reduction in both microorganisms. Conclusions: Laser therapy proves to be an effective alternative to conventional caries treatments due to its multiple beneficial properties. Er,Cr:YSGG laser demonstrated versatility in clinical protocols, particularly in pediatric patients, exhibiting minimally invasive properties and antimicrobial effects, significantly reducing microbial load in early childhood caries.