Photobiomodulation therapy and endodontic treatment of teeth with apical periodontitis using 940-nm diode laser. Report of two cases

BACKGROUND: Diode laser (DL) can be used in endodontics both for its bactericidal effect inside the root canal system (RCS) and for photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) to accelerate the repair of periradicular bone tissue. CLINICAL CASES: This work presents two cases of pulp necrosis/asymptomatic apical periodontitis (AAP) that were treated with 940-nm DL, administered both to disinfect the root canal and to apply PBMT to the periradicular tissues. The cases were analysed by Cone-Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT). DISCUSSION: DL has become widely accepted due to its high antimicrobial effectiveness and its ability to accelerate the repair of large apical lesions by biostimulation. Nevertheless, differences of opinion persist within the scientific community due to the lack of standardized endodontic protocols. CONCLUSIONS: The application of 940-nm DL, both for disinfection of the RCS and for PBMT, is an effective treatment in non-vital teeth with large periapical lesions. In both cases reported, bone neoformation were found at the 6-month check-up. Key words:Low-level laser therapy, photobiomodulation therapy, diode laser, endodontics.