RESUMO
BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to compare the ability of the diode laser to detect residual calculus with that of an explorer. METHODS: The root surface of 40 extracted human teeth, each partially covered with subgingival calculus, was instrumented with curets under simulated clinical conditions in a manikin. The samples were randomly assigned to two study groups. In group A, the root surface was treated with an explorer until it appeared free of mineralized deposits upon examination. The samples in group B were instrumented until the relative intensity of fluorescence as induced with diode laser radiation was below a threshold value of 5. The root surface of each sample was then examined for residual calculus using standardized digital images. The statistical analysis was performed with a non-paired t test at a level of significance of 5% (P < 0.05). RESULTS: The root surface of single-rooted teeth showed residual calculus on 0.19 +/- 0.37 x 10(7) microm2 in the laser group and on 0.11 +/- 0.26 x 10(7) microm2 in the explorer group (P = 0.19). For multirooted teeth, the mean calculus-covered area was 0.50 +/- 0.48 x 10(7) microm2 for the teeth evaluated with an explorer and 0.27 +/- 0.43 x 10(7) microm2 for the diode laser group (P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: The present findings indicate that the detection of subgingival calculus is significantly improved using 655 nm diode laser radiation compared to an explorer for molars but not for single-rooted teeth.