Effectiveness of Diode Laser Decontamination for Immediate Implant Placement in Infected Sockets: Case Series

Introduction: Immediate placement of implants in extraction sockets affected by periapical pathology presents a risk of residual infection. Laser-assisted decontamination has emerged as an effective adjunct to enhance socket disinfection. This case series evaluates the outcomes of immediate implant placement following diode laser decontamination in sockets with periapical lesions.

Case Presentations: Three patients presenting with non-restorable teeth and chronic periapical pathology underwent atraumatic extraction, thorough curettage, and diode laser decontamination before immediate implant placement. All cases exhibited uneventful healing, with no postoperative infection observed. Peri-implant soft tissue health remained stable throughout the follow-up.

Conclusion: Within the limitations of this small case series, diode laser decontamination combined with socket curettage demonstrated favourable outcomes for implants placed immediately in infected extraction sites, including uneventful healing and healthy soft tissue around the implants. Larger controlled studies are necessary to validate these findings.

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