"Hallym University Demonstrates Clinical Safety of UDP for Root Canal Treatment Without Tissue Damage"

Hallym University Research Team Demonstrates Comparable Efficacy and Superior Safety to Conventional Treatment
World’s First Presentation of Low-Toxicity, High-Safety Underwater Discharge Plasma for Root Canal Therapy

The research team from the Department of Dental Artificial Intelligence and Robotics at Hallym University Graduate School of Clinical Dentistry-comprising Master’s course student Yujeong Hyo, Adjunct Professor Younghee Kim, and Graduate School Dean Byeongeun Yang-conducted a randomized clinical trial (RCT) to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of the Underwater Discharge Plasma (UDP) root canal irrigation method. The results of this study were published in the international journal Biomedicines (SCIE, Impact Factor 3.9, JCR top 33%).

From the left, Master’s Course Student Yujeong Hyo, Adjunct Professor Younghee Kim, Graduate School Dean Byeongeun Yang. Provided by Hallym University

The research team randomly assigned 30 patients requiring root canal (endodontic) treatment into two groups: the UDP group (Underwater Discharge Plasma) and the NaOCl group (sodium hypochlorite). The outcomes of their treatments were tracked. The analysis showed that both groups experienced a significant reduction in pain after treatment, and the radiographic periapical healing index improved to a similar degree in both groups.

Notably, no adverse effects such as tissue damage or fever were reported in the UDP group. Adjunct Professor Younghee Kim stated, “UDP root canal irrigation demonstrated short-term treatment outcomes equivalent to those of traditional NaOCl irrigation, and its safety was also confirmed, which is highly significant. Further long-term follow-up studies involving a larger number of patients are necessary.”

In root canal treatment (endodontic therapy), irrigation to thoroughly remove bacteria and debris is a critical step for treatment success. The most widely used irrigant, NaOCl, has strong antibacterial properties but is limited by its tissue toxicity and its inability to fully reach the deepest and most complex areas of the root canal. Plasma technology is gaining attention as an alternative to address these limitations.

Plasma, known as the “fourth state of matter,” is a gas that becomes electrically charged and generates reactive particles such as reactive oxygen species. It is being explored as a novel therapeutic tool across the field of medical and bioengineering, including cancer treatment, skin regeneration, and sterilization of biological surfaces. In particular, Underwater Discharge Plasma (UDP), which generates plasma directly in water, is attracting attention as a technology that can provide powerful antibacterial effects at low temperatures while minimizing the risk of damage to surrounding tissues.

Master’s course student Yujeong Hyo commented, “The results of this clinical trial mark an important milestone that demonstrates the practical potential of plasma-based root canal treatment technology. We will continue research and development so that UDP can be established as a treatment technology that can replace or complement NaOCl in clinical practice.”

Graduate School Dean Byeongeun Yang emphasized, “These results are an early clinical case demonstrating the low toxicity and high safety of UDP. Future research should focus on standardizing plasma discharge conditions and developing combination strategies with existing irrigants.”

This study is the first in the world to present the potential for expanding plasma technology into the clinical field of dental root canal treatment. It was conducted with support from the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Health Industry Development Institute’s ‘Korean Medical Device Hospital Evaluation Support Project’.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.