Endodontics Retreatment and Successful Removal of Endodontic Sealers Using Lasers: A Systematic Review

Abstract

The laser’s potential to stimulate the irrigants inside the root canals has been the subject of several studies. Laser-activated irrigation (LAI) is a method that is more effective than conventional methods in cleaning the canal and removing the smear layer. Compared to more traditional forms of irrigant agitation, a laser’s benefits are clear. A systematic literature review from 2010 to 2022 was performed using PubMed, Medline, and ScienceDirect databases. The keywords used were “endodontic retreatment,” “sealer removal,” and “lasers.” In addition, the PRISMA flowchart was used to describe the selection process of searched articles. Four out of nine included studies did not show any significant difference in the removal of sealers with or without lasers. However, the other five studies did show significantly improved removal of sealer remains from the root canals. Lasers can be used effectively to remove a majority of the remaining sealing materials from the root canals.