Measurement and modeling of temperature distribution for Er:YAG laser root canal sterilization

Based on the bactericidal effect of subablative irradiation the Er:YAG laser can be used for root canal sterilization in endodontics. For this, an optical fiber will be inserted into the root canal down to a depth of about 1 mm in front of the apex, and then removed while activating the laser. In order to avoid heat accumulation which could be harmful to the desmodont or periodont, repetition rate and fiber withdrawal velocity must be kept within certain limits. These limits were determined by calculations based on a 1-dim, cylindrical model and related temperature measurements on half cutted teeth. The calculations agree well to the control measurements and are used to derive a complete set of application parameters in dependence on the expected root thickness.