The evolution of cavitation in narrow soft-solid wedge geometry mimicking periodontal and peri-implant pockets

Jezeršek, Matija (author), Molan, Katja (author), Terlep, Saša (author), Levičnik-Höfferle, Špela (author), Gašpirc, Boris (author), Lukač, Matjaž (author), Stopar, David (author)

In periodontology and implantology, laser-induced cavitation has not yet been used to treat biofilm-related problems. In this study we have checked how soft tissue affects the evolution of cavitation in a wedge model representing periodontal and peri-implant pocket geometry. One side of the wedge model was composed of PDMS mimicking soft periodontal or peri-implant biological tissue, the other side was composed of glass mimicking hard tooth root or implant surface, which allowed observations of the cavitation dynamics with an ultrafast camera. Different laser pulse modalities, PDMS stiffness, and irrigants were tested for their effect on the evolution of cavitation in the narrow wedge geometry. The PDMS stiffness varied in a range that corresponds to severely inflamed, moderately inflamed, or healthy gingival tissue as determined by a panel of dentists. The results imply that deformation of the soft boundary has a major effect on the Er:YAG laser-induced cavitation. The softer the boundary, the less effective the cavitation. We show that in a stiffer gingival tissues model, photoacoustic energy can be guided and focused at the tip of the wedge model, where it enables generation of secondary cavitation and more effective microstreaming. The secondary cavitation was absent in severely inflamed gingival model tissue, but could be induced with a dual-pulse AutoSWEEPS laser modality. This should in principle increase cleaning efficiency in the narrow geometries such as those found in the periodontal and peri-implant pockets and may lead to more predictable treatment outcomes.

• Language: English
• Keywords: cavitation, soft-solid interface, periodontal and peri-implant pockets, secondary cavitation
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FS - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering; BF - Biotechnical Faculty; MF - Faculty of Medicine
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2023
• Number of pages: 12 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 94, art. 106329
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-144444
• UDC: 579.61:544.537
• ISSN on article: 1350-4177
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2023.106329
• COBISS.SI-ID: 141487619
• Publication date in RUL: 22.02.2023

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Ultrasonics Sonochemistry
• Shortened title: Ultrason. sonochem.
• Publisher: Butterworth-Heinemann, Elsevier Science
• ISSN: 1350-4177
• COBISS.SI-ID: 707668

Licences

• License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
• Description: The most restrictive Creative Commons license. This only allows people to download and share the work for no commercial gain and for no other purposes.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: kavitacija, Escherichia coli, zobni vsadki, obzobni žepek, biofilm, lasersko čiščenje