LASER ENDODONTIC THERAPY

CANDELA LASER CORPORATION AND ALBERT EINSTEIN MEDICAL CENTER WILL DEVELOP AND EVALUATE A PULSED LASER SYSTEM FOR ENDODONTIC THERAPY BASED ON SPECIFIC LASER TARGET/TISSUE INTERACTION. EMPLOYING LASER ENERGY DELIVERED TO TEETH VIA A FLEXIBLE FIBEROPTIC, THE SYSTEM WILL REMOVE DISEASED PULP AND DENTIN, PREPARE A ROOT CANAL, AND CREATE A HERMETIC LASER-FUSED APICAL SEAL WITHIN A TOOTH. THIS NEW LASER SYSTEM WILL ENABLE ENDODONTISTS TO COMPLETE IN A SINGLE OFFICE VISIT A RAPID, DEFINITIVE, MINIMALLY INVASIVE ROOT CANAL PROCEDURE. THE RESEARCH PLAN IS DESIGNED TO CHARACTERIZE THE EFFECTS OF PULSED DYE AND HOLMIUM YTTRIUM ALUMINUM GARNET (HOL:YAG) LASER ENERGY ON DENTAL TISSUE. FRESHLY EXTRACTED HUMAN TEETH WILL BE IRRADIATED IN ORDER TO EVALUATE THEM FORTARGET TISSUE ABLATION, THE EXTENT OF THERMAL OR MECHANICAL DAMAGE, AND THE IMPERMEABILITY OF THE APICAL SEAL. EFFECTIVENESS WILL BE MEASURED USING LIGHT AND SCANNING MICROSCOPY, HISTOLOGY, AND DYE UPTAKE/PERMEATION ANALYSIS OF SPECIMENS. PHASE I RESEARCH IS EXPECTED TO YIELD INFORMATION SUFFICIENT TO LEAD TO EXTENSIVE ADDITIONAL TESTING OF THIS SYSTEM IN SPECIMENS AND, EVENTUALLY, HUMAN SUBJECTS.