The effect of surface roughness on the Er:YAG laser-induced photoacoustic removal of bacteria in zero-gap periodontal/peri-implant pocket model.

ABSTRACT: Effective biofilm removal from periodontal and peri-implant pockets remains a challenge due to constrained geometry and limited access. This study investigates a novel phenomenon of distant-field cleaning utilizing Er:YAG laser treatment, where removal of bacteria occurs in areas without previously observed cavitation under high-speed imaging. To understand this effect, we developed a transparent zero-gap model simulating a tooth or implant and surrounding soft tissue. We systematically examined the impact of laser fiber insertion depth, cavitation bubble dynamics, the stiffness and roughness of the material, and laser parameters on the cleaning efficiency. Our findings reveal that the removal of bacteria indeed correlates strongly with cavitation occurrence. Deeper optical fiber insertion

SUBMITTER: Savli D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12343481 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature