Sterilization potential of the CO2 laser.

To test the sterilizing potential of the CO2 laser, two turbines and 70 stainless steel strips have been prepared. Five microns of suspensions (microbial and salivary) have been set and exposed to the laser beam (20 seconds, power of 5 W). The experiments of sterilization, after drying of the suspension did not show any positive result. When the experiments have been done immediately after deposing the suspension and without letting the latter to dry, the results have been positive and the sterilization complete. These experiments show that the CO2 laser has an important potential of sterilization that deserved to be exploited and developed.