Dina Nashaat Hussein, Salma El Ashry And Ahmed Ghobashy,

ABSTRACT
Smear Layer Represents A Challenge For Root Canal Disinfection And Bacterial Removal In Canal Walls. Different Methods Of Removal Are Currently Employed And Lasers Are One. This Study Aims To Test The Ability Of A Diode Laser To Remove Smear Layer And To Compare It With Conventional Methods Of Smear Layer Removal In Root Canals Of Infected Teeth. Thirty Sound Single Rooted Teeth Were Used. Teeth Were Decoronated Using Diamond Discs And Root Canals Enlarged Using NiTi Rotary Files With Saline Irrigation. Samples Were Divided Into 4 Groups. Group 1 Included 10 Teeth Which Received Diode Laser Irradiation. Group 2 Also Included 10 Samples Where Each Received Laser Irradiation After Adding Photosensitizing Agent In The Canals. Groups 1 And 2 Were Further Divided Into 2 Subgroups Of 5 Samples Each. Group 3 Included 5 Samples Which Received NaOCl & EDTA As Irrigants. Group 4 Served As A Control Group And Received Saline Solution Irrigation. Teeth Were Split And Evaluated For The Presence Of Smear Layer Under Scanning Electron Microscope. Lasers Alone Did Not Remove Smear Layer, Instead It Caused Morphological Alterations On The Root Canal Surface.