(TC44) Glass Fiber Lasers in Endodontics: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract: To investigate the clinical uses and outcomes of glass fiber lasers in endodontics, PubMed and Google Scholar were searched electronically for literature published in English from 1990 to 2023. Clinical trials, randomized control trials, case reports, and comparative studies using glass fiber lasers (Nd:YAP, Nd:YAG, diode, GaAlAs, and KTP) for various endodontic procedures were selected. PubMed and Google Scholar yielded 185 and 788 search results, respectively. A total of 27 studies were selected for systematic review and qualitative synthesis. Glass fiber lasers were used in non-surgical root canal treatment (NSRCT), retreatment, apicoectomy procedures, photodynamic therapy, photobiomodulation, pulpotomy, and internal bleaching. Of the 27 studies, 20 were in vitro and used single-rooted human teeth or single roots of multi-rooted teeth. Ten studies reported a reduction in bacterial contamination and improvement in canal cleanliness; five found a reduction of short-term post-operative pain. Four studies found no difference in outcomes between glass fiber laser and conventional treatment. Two studies found that laser irradiation alone did not allow for complete removal of debris. Based on the limited quality evidence, most of the included studies reported positive outcomes when using glass fiber lasers in endodontic procedures and concluded that glass fiber lasers could be a useful adjunct to traditional endodontic therapy. However, the lack of standardization in laser parameters and limited in vivo studies with long-term follow-up indicate the need for further investigation.