Effectiveness of 980-mm diode and 1064-nm extra-long-pulse neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet lasers in implant disinfection.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the potential of 980-nm gallium aluminum arsenide (GaAlAs) and 1064-nm neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) lasers to reduce bacteria after irradiation of implant surfaces contaminated with Enterococcus faecalis and Porphyromonas gingivalis and on irradiated implant surface morphology. BACKGROUND Despite the frequency of implant success, some implant loss is related to peri-implantitis because of difficulty in eliminating the biofilm. METHODS Implants (3.75 x 13 mm) with machined surfaces, surfaces sand blasted with titanium oxide (TiO(2)), and sand-blasted and acid-etched surfaces were exposed to P. gingivalis and E. faecalis cultures and irradiated with 980-nm GaAlAs or 1064-nm Nd:YAG lasers. After laser treatments, the number of remaining colony-forming units and implant surface morphology were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). RESULTS The Nd:YAG laser was able to promote a total contamination reduction on all implants irradiated. The results with the GaAlAs laser showed 100% bacteria reduction on the implants irradiated with 3 W. Irradiation with 2.5 W and 3 W achieved 100% of bacteria reduction on P. gingivalis-contaminated implants. Decontamination was not complete for the sand-blasted TiO(2) (78.6%) and acid-etched surfaces (49.4%) contaminated with E. faecalis and irradiated with 2.5 W. SEM showed no implant surface changes. CONCLUSION The wavelengths used in this research provided bacteria reduction without damaging implant surfaces. New clinical research should be encouraged for the use of this technology in the treatment of peri-implantitis.