BDJ Open最新文献

{"title":"The association between systemic immune-inflammation index and periodontitis in adults with and without hyperlipidemia: a population-based study.","authors":"Ying Xie, Shuangying Zhou","doi":"10.1038/s41405-026-00422-3","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41405-026-00422-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To investigate the association between SII and periodontitis, and to determine whether this association differs by hyperlipidemia status in adults.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>21,283 U.S. adults aged ≥18 years were enrolled from NHANES 1999-2014. Multivariable logistic regression models were employed to assess the association between SII and periodontitis while controlling for potential confounding factors. We further explored non-linear dose-response relationships using two-piecewise regression model to identify any threshold effect of SII on periodontitis risk. Robustness of the findings was evaluated through sensitivity analyses.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Periodontitis was prevalent in 6,758 individuals (31.75%). In stratified analyses, this pattern was evident among individuals with hyperlipidemia: we identified an inflection point at SII ≈ 522. Within the lower SII range, a 500-unit increment demonstrated an inverse association with periodontitis susceptibility, yielding a significant 18% risk reduction (OR = 0.82, 95% CI 0.68-0.99, P = 0.036). Conversely, in the upper SII spectrum, identical 500-unit increments corresponded to a substantial 15% heightened periodontitis risk (OR = 1.15, 95% CI 1.05-1.25, P = 0.002). A significant non-linear dose-response was found in hyperlipidemic individuals (P for threshold effect = 0.005). In contrast, among individuals without hyperlipidemia, no significant association between SII and periodontitis was detected. Sensitivity analyses, including the exclusion of participants with malignancies, stratification by sex and using alternative periodontitis definitions, yielded consistent results, reinforcing the robustness of our findings.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>SII demonstrated a non-linear association with periodontitis that was restricted to individuals with hyperlipidemia. In hyperlipidemic adults, moderate increases in SII (within a lower range) were associated with reduced odds of periodontitis, whereas an SII beyond ~522 was significantly associated with higher disease prevalence.</p>","PeriodicalId":36997,"journal":{"name":"BDJ Open","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13043662/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147595246","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the shared genetic architecture between periodontitis and cardiovascular disease.","authors":"Ting Jin, Jinfeng Lin, Peng Zhang, Yu Lu, Shenguo Chen, Haisheng Lin","doi":"10.1038/s41405-026-00421-4","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41405-026-00421-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Epidemiological evidence supports the association between periodontitis and cardiovascular diseases (CVD); however, their shared genetic mechanisms remain inadequately defined. This study elucidates their genetic architecture by identifying shared risk loci and associated genes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study employs Mendelian randomization (MR) to investigate bidirectional causal relationships between periodontitis and five types of CVD based on genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary data. Cross-trait analyses were applied to examine genetic correlations across trait pairs, identifying pleiotropic loci and associated genes. Functional annotation and tissue-specificity analyses elucidate their biological functions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Bidirectional and multivariable MR analyses confirmed that the association between CVD and periodontitis is not driven by a direct causal relationship. Additionally, the genetic correlation between these disorders underscores the importance of investigating their shared genomic architecture. Colocalization analysis identified significant shared causal variants at loci 4p14 and 15q25.1. At the gene level, seven unique pleiotropic genes (e.g., CD151, POLR2L, and HLA-DQA1) were annotated. Pathway analysis revealed that these genetic architectures likely mediate cross-disease interactions through an inflammation-metabolism regulatory axis (Inflammatory Response and Cholesterol Metabolism Pathway). Tissue enrichment analyses demonstrated that pleiotropic signals, from SNP to gene levels, were significantly enriched in immune-related tissues and disease-relevant sites like the heart.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study reveals a shared genetic basis between periodontitis and five types of CVD, suggesting potential underlying mechanisms. However, based on summary-level data, it remains unclear whether this association represents direct biological genetic determinants or indirect pathways mediated by shared environmental or behavioral risk factors. Future studies utilizing individual-level data with covariate adjustments are needed to further investigate these relationships.</p>","PeriodicalId":36997,"journal":{"name":"BDJ Open","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13039211/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147595224","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correction: Evaluation of an intermediate minor oral surgery service in Plymouth, England and implications for future commissioning.","authors":"Amirali Ziaebrahimi, Robert Witton","doi":"10.1038/s41405-026-00401-8","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41405-026-00401-8","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":36997,"journal":{"name":"BDJ Open","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13036078/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147582593","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A tool to measure the influence of social media on health behaviors: an exploratory study.","authors":"Chloé Rethaber, Clément Mathieu, Gabriel Fernandez de Grado, Damien Offner","doi":"10.1038/s41405-026-00417-0","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41405-026-00417-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Social media is deeply embedded in our daily lives, particularly among younger generations. In the field of health, these platforms are both promising tools for prevention and channels for misinformation. This study aimed to develop and validate an exploratory measurement tool to quantify the influence of social media on health-related behaviors across three dimensions: social, economic, physical.</p><p><strong>Study design: </strong>Cross-sectional survey using a self-administered 15-item questionnaire.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Items of the questionnaire were developed from literature and refined through expert consensus to cover social, economic, and physical dimensions of influence. Participants were voluntarily recruited in hospital waiting rooms in France; a subset completed the tool twice for reliability (test/retest). Analyses included Pearson correlations, Cronbach's alpha, Intraclass Correlation Coefficients, and Multiple Correspondence Analysis to identify user profiles.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Data were collected from 110 participants aged 18 to 81. The instrument demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.9), strong test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.93), and high score fidelity (Pearson r = 0.87). MCA revealed three user clusters: non-influenced older adults using Facebook, moderately influenced youth using Snapchat, and highly influenced young adults under 35 using Instagram and TikTok. Women and younger participants were more influenced economically and physically.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study highlights the growing influence of social media on health behaviors and introduces a reliable exploratory instrument to identify the most receptive populations. The tool can support targeted public health strategies and ethical engagement on digital platforms, especially for younger audiences frequently exposed to health-related content.</p>","PeriodicalId":36997,"journal":{"name":"BDJ Open","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13031869/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147533422","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"In vitro study on the neutralization potential of particulate hydroxyapatite in erosive acids.","authors":"Pascal Fandrich, Felix Justus Stammler, Joachim Enax, Erik Schulze Zur Wiesche, Bennett T Amaechi, Helge-Otto Fabritius, Thomas Hellweg","doi":"10.1038/s41405-026-00414-3","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41405-026-00414-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Hydroxyapatite (HAP; Ca₅(PO₄)₃(OH)) is used in oral care formulations as a remineralizing agent and acts as a reservoir for calcium and phosphate ions. Consequently, HAP can serve as a neutralizing agent during acidic attacks caused by erosive beverages or cariogenic processes. This in vitro study aims to investigate the neutralization potential of HAP particles, used in oral care products, with a focus on changes in pH value, Ca²⁺ release, and structural integrity.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>5.0% (w/v) particulate HAP was added to hydrochloric acid, phosphoric acid, citric acid, and lactic acid (37 °C, 0.1 M), as well as to Sprite® and Coca-Cola®, all under continuous stirring. pH values were measured after equilibration. Neutralization kinetics of HAP were investigated in Sprite® and Coca-Cola® within the first 30 s after addition of 0.15% (w/v), 0.5% (w/v), and 5.0% (w/v) HAP. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) were employed to investigate crystallite morphology and composition. Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) was conducted to analyze Ca²⁺ release.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The investigated HAP shows a significant increase in pH in all systems and neutralizes between 98.0% and 99.9% of the acidic protons in the equilibrium. Up to 2619 mg L^-1 ± 48 mg L^-1 of Ca²⁺ are released in hydrochloric acid, while the porous particle structure remains unaffected. Kinetic investigation in beverages shows that already 0.15% (w/v) HAP neutralizes most of the dissociated acid within 20 s (83.9% in Sprite®, 98.7% in Coca-Cola®).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The study shows that HAP used in oral care formulations can efficiently counteract acids by increasing pH value and releasing Ca²⁺ ions, while retaining its functional morphology.</p>","PeriodicalId":36997,"journal":{"name":"BDJ Open","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13018563/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147515391","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of postoperative pain after endodontic treatment in molars with and without foraminal enlargement: a prospective randomized clinical trial.","authors":"Fabiana Menezes Galdino de Aragão, Carlos Eduardo da Silveira Bueno, Rina Andrea Pelegrine, Daniel Guimarães Pedro Rocha, Carlos Eduardo Fontana, Vini Mehta, Wayne Martins Nascimento, Ana Grasiela da Silva Limoeiro, Marilia Fagury Videira Marceliano-Alves, Alexandre Sigrist De Martin","doi":"10.1038/s41405-026-00412-5","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41405-026-00412-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Postoperative pain following endodontic treatment is a significant and common issue in daily clinical practice, frequently studied, and a source of concern for both patients and clinicians.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>This study aimed to evaluate postoperative pain and analgesic use after single-visit endodontic treatment with a reciprocating system with or without foraminal enlargement in mandibular molars with necrosis and apical periodontitis.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Sixty patients undergoing endodontic treatment on mandibular molars were divided into two groups (n = 30): with foraminal enlargement (FE), with the working length set at 0.0 mm from the apex, and the other group without foraminal enlargement (WFE) at 1.0 mm short of the apex. Instrumentation was performed with the Wave One Gold System in a single-visit, rinsed with 2.5% sodium hypochlorite, and filled with a single cone and AH -Plus sealer. The patients were requested to rate their pain at 24, 48, 72 h, and 1 week on a visual analog scale (VAS) as nonexistent, mild, moderate, or severe, as well as to indicate the need for oral analgesics. The number of participants reporting pain was similar at both 24 and 48 h (p > 0.05).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Mean VAS scores were low in both groups at all time points, with no clinically meaningful between-group differences. At 72 h and 7 days, no participant in either experimental group reported pain. There was no statistically significant difference in the painkiller tablets taken between the experimental groups at any evaluated period.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The frequency of postoperative pain and the number of analgesics taken by the patients were similar in the two experimental groups.</p>","PeriodicalId":36997,"journal":{"name":"BDJ Open","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13002862/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147487723","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dental students' perception of objective structured clinical examination (OSCE): a cross-sectional study.","authors":"Nissaf Daouahi, Sarra Nasri, Yosra Gassara, Rim Kallala, Jilani Saafi","doi":"10.1038/s41405-026-00413-4","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41405-026-00413-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is increasingly used to assess clinical competence in dental education. Understanding students' perceptions of this assessment method is essential for improving its design and educational impact, particularly in fixed prosthodontics.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To assess dental students' perceptions of OSCEs in Fixed Prosthodontics.</p><p><strong>Materials and methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted in May 2025 at the Department of Fixed Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Tunisia. Final-year dental students (n = 144) who completed a fixed prosthodontics OSCE were invited to participate. Data were collected anonymously using a structured online questionnaire administered via Google Forms and QR code. The questionnaire assessed students' perceptions of the OSCE in terms of clarity of instructions, organization, and stress level. Participation was voluntary.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 144 final-year dental students completed the questionnaire. The response rate was 100%. The majority of respondents (87%) reported that the OSCE content and instructions were clearly explained. Similarly, 87.5% indicated that they felt comfortable with the examiners before the examination. Regarding time allocation, 36.1% of students reported a neutral perception, while 11.8% indicated that the time available at certain stations was insufficient. In terms of stress, 65.9% of respondents described the OSCE as moderately stressful. With respect to perceived difficulty, most students reported greater difficulty in the cognitive station (43.1%), followed by the communication and behavioural station (33.3%). Finally, 93% of respondents reported that the competencies assessed during the OSCE were aligned with the objectives of their clinical training.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study shows that students perceived the OSCE as an appropriate assessment method for clinical skills in fixed prosthodontics. They were generally satisfied with its clarity and organisation. However, they reported that some aspects should be improved, such as the timing and stress management.</p>","PeriodicalId":36997,"journal":{"name":"BDJ Open","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12992543/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147469302","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessment of the dentine microhardness following the application of different intracanal medicaments. An in-vitro study.","authors":"Sara Gamal Elgamal, Kareem Hamdy Ahmed Aly, Nadia Saeed Hosny","doi":"10.1038/s41405-026-00408-1","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41405-026-00408-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Intracanal medications used during routine endodontic treatment and regenerative endodontic procedures might cause undesirable effects on tooth properties, such as a reduction in dentine microhardness.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To compare the effect of five intracanal medicaments; Bio-C Temp (Angelus, Brazil), modified triple antibiotic electrospun nanofibers (m-TAP) (NanoEbers, Egypt), Levofloxacin (Memphis, Egypt), Calcium hydroxide (CH) (Meta biomed, Korea) and Simvastatin (Merck & Co., USA) on the microhardness of radicular dentine.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Forty-five extracted single-rooted teeth were decoronated to a 15 mm root length then prepared. The specimens were assigned to five groups according to the used intracanal medicament: Bio-C Temp, m-TAP nanofibers, Levofloxacin, CH, and Simvastatin. After medicament application for two weeks, dentine microhardness was measured using a Vickers microhardness tester. Data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests with a significance level set at p < 0.05.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Bio-C Temp, and m-TAP nanofibers recorded the highest overall dentine microhardness values, followed by Levofloxacin and Simvastatin, while CH showed the lowest. Significant differences were observed among the tested groups at the coronal and middle levels (p < 0.05), whereas no significant difference was found apically.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Bio-C Temp, and m-TAP nanofibers demonstrated superior ability to preserve dentine microhardness, suggesting their promising potential advantage over conventional medicaments for strengthening root dentine.</p>","PeriodicalId":36997,"journal":{"name":"BDJ Open","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12996554/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147475809","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Oxidative balance score and periodontitis: nonlinear dose-response in NHANES 2009-2014.","authors":"Chong Gao, Miaoran Wang, Hairong He, Zhengchuan Zhu, Qiuyan Li, Zhuye Gao, Liqin Mei","doi":"10.1038/s41405-026-00410-7","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41405-026-00410-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with oxidative stress. The Oxidative Balance Score (OBS) is a composite measure of dietary and lifestyle factors that reflect the balance between pro-oxidants and antioxidants. Recently, there has been growing interest in research examining the connection between oxidative balance scores (OBS) and periodontitis. However, the nature of this relationship, particularly whether it follows a linear or non-linear pattern, remains unclear. This study aimed to explore association between OBS and periodontitis using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2009-2014.).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from NHANES 2009-2014. A total of 10,714 participants with a mean age of 32.60 years (SD = 24.91) were included in this study. Periodontitis was defined based on clinical periodontal examinations, and OBS was calculated using dietary and lifestyle factors. A generalized additive model was used to explore the nonlinear relationship between OBS and periodontitis. A two-piecewise linear regression model was employed to identify the threshold effect of OBS on periodontitis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The study found a nonlinear relationship between OBS and periodontitis. When OBS was less than 16, the odds ratio (OR) for periodontitis was 0.74 (95% CI: 0.50-1.09, P = 0.13). However, when OBS was greater than 16, the OR for periodontitis significantly decreased to 0.14 (95% CI: 0.09-0.20, P < 0.001). The threshold effect of OBS on periodontitis was identified at 16.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study demonstrates a nonlinear relationship between OBS and periodontitis, with a significant reduction in the risk of periodontitis when OBS exceeds 16.</p>","PeriodicalId":36997,"journal":{"name":"BDJ Open","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12988143/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147460068","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of 980 nm diode laser irradiation in comparison with conventional irrigation on smear layer removal from radicular dentin-an in vitro experimental study.","authors":"Syeda Abeerah Tanveer, Robia Ghafoor, Adil Omerson","doi":"10.1038/s41405-026-00409-0","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41405-026-00409-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The smear layer in radicular dentin reduces effective disinfection by occluding dentinal tubules and decreasing dentin permeability, contributing to persistent microbial infection and root canal treatment failures.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To compare the effect of 980 nm Diode laser irradiation and conventional irrigation with Sodium hypochlorite and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (NaOCl +EDTA) on smear layer removal in radicular dentin through dye penetration test.</p><p><strong>Material and methods: </strong>Sixty-six extracted single-rooted permanent teeth were randomly allocated into two groups. Group I underwent 980 nm diode laser irradiation using a 200 µm fiber in helicoidal motion (2 W power, 200 Hz frequency, 1-4 ms pulse duration). Group II received conventional irrigation with 3% NaOCl followed by 17% EDTA. All specimens were immersed in 2% methylene blue dye for 48 h, after which cross-sections were obtained at 3, 5, and 8 mm from the anatomical apex. Dye penetration diameter (mm) and area (mm²) between the inner and outer circumferences were measured using ImageJ software under a stereomicroscope. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni post-hoc tests.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The diode laser irradiation demonstrated overall significantly greater dentinal tubule penetration (16.2 ± 1.91 mm) compared to the conventional irrigation (5.32 ± 0.70 mm; p = 0.001). The overall mean area of the laser group (12.61 ± 2.02 mm²) was greater as compared to the conventional group (1.67 ± 0.73 mm²; p = 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Diode laser irradiation may serve as an effective adjunct for smear layer removal and improved root canal disinfection.</p>","PeriodicalId":36997,"journal":{"name":"BDJ Open","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-03-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12953749/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147345332","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}