Clinical and microbiological evaluation of high intensity diode laser adjutant to non-surgical periodontal treatment: a 6-month clinical trial

Suppression of subgingival bacteria by antimicrobial photodynamic therapy using transgingival irradiation: A randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) is an effective method for eradicating bacteria in periodontal therapy. Standard aPDT requires the insertion of a laser tip into a periodontal pocket, in which the direction of irradiation is limited. Therefore, we devised an aPDT method that uses a transgingival near-infrared wavelength and indocyanine green-encapsulated and chitosan-coated nanoparticles as a photosensitizer.

METHODS

Forty patients undergoing supportive periodontal therapy, who had a single root tooth with a pocket of 5 mm or deeper, were used as subjects. In the test group, aPDT was performed by laser irradiation from outside the gingiva using photosensitizer nanoparticles. In the control group, pseudo aPDT without photosensitizer was performed by transgingival irradiation. Subgingival plaque was sampled from inside the pocket before, immediately after, and 1 week after treatment, and evaluated by colony counting and real-time polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in age, sex, periodontal pocket depth, and bleeding on probing between the test and control groups. Compared with the colony count before treatment, the count in the test group was significantly reduced immediately after treatment. The number of patients with colony reduction to ≤50% and ≤10% was significantly higher in the test group than in the control group. None of the participants reported pain, although one participant reported discomfort.

CONCLUSION

As a bacterial control method for residual pockets in patients undergoing supportive periodontal therapy, transgingival aPDT is a promising treatment strategy that is not generally accompanied by pain or discomfort.

The efficacy of diode laser and subgingival air polishing with erythritol in treatment of periodontitis (clinical and microbiological study)

BACKGROUND

There is insufficient clinical and microbiological evidence to support the use of diode laser and air-polishing with erythritol as supplements to scaling and root planning(SRP). The aim of the current study is to evaluate the clinical and microbiologic efficacy of erythritol subgingival air polishing and diode laser in treatment of periodontitis.

METHODS

The study encompassed twenty-four individuals seeking periodontal therapy and diagnosed with stage I and stage II periodontitis. Eight patients simply underwent SRP. Eight more patients had SRP followed by erythritol subgingival air polishing, and eight patients had SRP followed by diode laser application. At baseline and six weeks, clinical periodontal parameters were measured, including Plaque Index (PI), Gingival Index (GI), periodontal Probing Depth (PPD), and Clinical Attachment Level (CAL). The bacterial count of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans(A.A), Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.G) was evaluated at different points of time.

RESULTS

The microbiological assessment revealed significant differences in the count of A.A. between the laser and erythritol groups immediately after treatment, indicating a potential impact on microbial levels. However, the microbial levels showed fluctuations over the subsequent weeks, without statistically significant differences. Plaque indices significantly decreased post-treatment in all groups, with no significant inter-group differences. Gingival indices decreased, and the laser group showed lower values than erythritol and control groups. PPD and CAL decreased significantly across all groups, with the laser group exhibiting the lowest values.

CONCLUSION

The supplementary use of diode laser and erythritol air polishing, alongside SRP, represents an expedited periodontal treatment modality. This approach leads to a reduction in bacteria and improvement in periodontal health.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This clinical trial was registered on Clinical Trials.gov (Registration ID: NCT06209554) and released on 08/01/2024.

Diode laser as an adjunctive treatment for periodontitis: Arandomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this randomized controlled trial was to assess clinical and patient reported outcomes of subgingival instrumentation (SI) with adjunctive use of diode laser (DL) versus SI alone in the treatment of periodontitis.

METHODS

Participants requiring non-surgical periodontal treatment were randomly allocated into two treatment groups: SI with DL or SI alone. Clinical parameters [full mouth bleeding and plaque scores (FMBS and FMPS), probing pocket depth and clinical attachment level] were recorded at baseline, three and 6 months post-treatment. Visual analogue scale was used to evaluate postoperative participants' perception of pain, swelling, bleeding, bruising and root sensitivity. The impact of periodontal treatment on quality of life was assessed using the General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) at 6 months.

RESULTS

A total of 22 participants with stage III/IV periodontitis completed the 6-month follow-up. SI with or without DL resulted in statistically significant reduction in FMBS, FMPS, PPDs, and percentage of PPDs of ≥5 mm at 3- and 6-month follow-up visits (p = 0.001 to <0.001). The participants in SI/DL group had a greater reduction in the percentage of deep PPDs (≥5 mm) compared to those receiving SI alone, but statistically significant differences between the two groups were not observed (16.40 ± 9.57 vs. 32.50 ± 38.76 at 3 months and 7.20 ± 6.86 vs. 19.50 ± 35.06 at 6 months). The difference in the mean total GOHAI scores was not statistically significant at 6 months with total GOHAI scores of 7.25 ± 2.45 and 5.40 ± 3.06 for SI and SI/DL groups, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Within the limitations of this study, the use of DL as an adjunct to SI in the treatment of stage III/IV periodontitis did not produce significant additional improvement in clinical parameters or patient reported outcomes in the 6-month observation period.

Periodontal Pocket Therapy Using a Class IV Dental Diode Laser in Dogs: A Retrospective Analysis

Class IV dental diode lasers have been introduced as a nonsurgical therapy for periodontal pockets in veterinary and human dentistry. This retrospective case series evaluates the use of Class IV dental diode laser therapy for abnormal periodontal pockets in a specialty veterinary dental practice. A hypothesis that the Class IV diode dental laser is a useful adjuvant modality in canine periodontal pocket therapy in the reduction of clinical pocket depth was made. This article discusses and demonstrates diode laser use in periodontal pocket therapy in a specialty veterinary dental practice and reviews the current literature. Inclusion in this study was limited to client-owned dogs with noted periodontal pocketing on any tooth type between 3 and 6 mm, which were treated with closed root planing (RP/C) and laser therapy who returned in 6 to 7 months for recheck of the pockets from the years 2017 to 2020. Twelve patients met the inclusion criteria. A total of 128 periodontal pockets were included in the study. Each periodontal pocket was a case receiving therapy. The mean periodontal pocket depth before the treatment is measured as 3.35 mm. The mean pocket depth of the periodontal pockets following treatment was 0.59 mm. The mean improvement in periodontal pocket depths after diode laser therapy when considering patient and tooth number using linear mixed-effects modeling was 2.63 mm (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.81-3.46, P < .0001). No statistically significant results were observed for pocket type, as P values were greater than .05.

Clinical and Microbiological Evaluation of Diode Laser and Systemic Doxycycline as an Additive to Scaling and Root Planing for Stage II and Stage III Periodontitis Patients

AIM

To assess and contrast the effectiveness of systemic doxycycline and diode laser as supplements to scaling and root planing (SRP) in terms of clinical and microbiological parameters.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 33 patients diagnosed with periodontitis stages II and III were included and randomized into group A (SRP + diode laser), group B (SRP + doxycycline), and group C (SRP alone). Selected sites were assessed for clinical and microbial parameters-plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), pocket probing depth (PPD), relative attachment level (RAL), and colony-forming units (CFUs). Every clinical parameter was noted at baseline and after three months. The arithmetic mean, followed by the standard deviation, was calculated for the required assessment intervals. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare all parameters between groups, and if the results of the ANOVA test were significant, post hoc analysis was performed. For intragroup comparison, student t-tests were performed.

RESULTS

The clinical parameters significantly improved within three months for all groups. In terms of relative attachment level, a statistically significant difference (P < 0.001) was obtained at the three-month interval compared to the baseline value, with the most statistically significant difference seen in group A (3.36±0.50 to 0.64±0.50), followed by group B (3.18±0.40 to 2.18±0.40). The mean pocket probing depth observed at three months, compared to the baseline value, showed a statistically significant difference (P < 0.001) in group A (5.91±0.70 to 2.18±0.40) compared to group B (6.18±0.75 to 4.36±0.50), followed by group C (5.82±0.75 to 5.27±0.64).

CONCLUSION

The use of diode laser-assisted pocket disinfection and systemic doxycycline, in addition to scaling and root planing, has proven to be efficient for treating periodontal pockets.

Clinical and microbiological efficacy of intra-pocket application of diode laser in grade C periodontitis: a randomized controlled clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Periodontitis is a microbially induced disease destroying structures anchoring teeth to jaw bones. Although metronidazole in combination with spiramycin is the effective conventional treatment of stage III grade C periodontitis, it has several systemic side effects. Laser therapy is widely used nowadays as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) to modulate inflammatory host response and eradicate microbes, due to bactericidal and detoxifying effects. Since microbiological analysis is one of the diagnostic methods identifying periodontal risk; our research aimed to investigate the efficacy of intra-pocket application of diode laser (980 nm) versus antibiotic therapy in enhancing clinical and microbiological parameters in stage III grade C periodontitis.

METHODS

A randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on fifty patients with stage III grade C periodontitis, divided equally into two groups. We managed test group by SRP with intra-pocket application of diode laser (980 nm) and the control group by SRP with systemic antibiotic administration (spiramycin and metronidazole). Then, we measured periodontal pocket depth (PPD) and clinical attachment loss (CAL) for both groups, before treatment (baseline), four and twelve weeks after. Moreover, we collected gingival crevicular fluid from both groups at baseline, four and twelve weeks after treatment and analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction to detect the relative count of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Porhyromonas gingivalis.

RESULTS

Compared to baseline, all assessed clinical and microbiological parameters attested improvement at the end of the study period in each group individually with no significant difference between the two studied groups. Although, at twelve weeks, flare up of bacterial levels was detected with systemic antibiotic administration.

CONCLUSION

Laser therapy can be considered as an effective treatment modality in stage III grade C periodontitis, avoiding the systemic antibiotic side effects and solving the recurrence problems due to bacterial resistance by long term usage.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT05222737 retrospectively on 03/02/2022, Clinicaltrial.gov.

Clinical outcomes of diode laser as an adjunct to nonsurgical periodontal therapy for residual periodontal pockets in mandibular second molars-a randomized controlled clinical trial

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of diode laser as an adjunct to nonsurgical periodontal therapy (NSPT) for residual periodontal pockets in mandibular second molars.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Sixty-seven mandibular second molars (154 residual periodontal pockets) were recruited into the study and randomly assigned to the Laser + NSPT group and the NSPT group. The Laser + NSPT group underwent NSPT adjunct with diode laser radiation (wavelength: 810 nm, power: 1.5 W, 40 s maximum), while the NSPT group underwent nonsurgical periodontal therapy alone. Clinical parameters were measured at baseline (T0) and 4(T1), 12(T2), and 24(T3), weeks after treatment.

RESULTS

Periodontal pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment loss (CAL), and bleeding on probing (BOP) in both groups showed significant improvements at the end of study compared to baseline. The reductions of PPD, CAL, and BOP in the Laser + NSPT group were significantly greater than NSPT group. At T3, the Laser + NSPT group had a mean PPD of 3.06 ± 0.86 mm, CAL of 2.58 ± 0.94 mm and BOP of 15.49%, while the NSPT group had a mean PPD of 4.46 ± 1.57 mm, CAL of 3.03 ± 1.25 mm and BOP of 64.29%.

CONCLUSIONS

The diode laser as an adjunct to nonsurgical periodontal therapy may contribute to clinical outcomes for residual periodontal pockets. However, the approach may cause reduction of keratinized tissue width.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

This study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2200061194.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Diode laser as an adjunct to nonsurgical periodontal therapy may contribute to the clinical outcomes for residual periodontal pockets in mandibular second molars.

Comparative Evaluation of Conventional Therapy With and Without Use of Diode Laser (DL) in the Treatment of Chronic Generalized Periodontitis: A Clinico-Microbiological Study

INTRODUCTION

Chronic periodontitis is caused by a persistent and expanding interaction between a subgingival pathogenic microbial biofilm and the host immune system. The host's reaction to local factors directly influences the inflammation and bone loss that result from these interactions. Depending on variables like the severity of soft tissue damage and bone loss, treatment options can range from nonsurgical to surgical. Nonsurgical treatments are frequently used as the first-line therapy for inflammatory periodontal disease. In fact, careful scaling and root planing (SRP), a nonsurgical treatment, has been extensively studied and shown to be a highly predictable and effective therapy. According to recent research, using a diode laser (DL) in addition to standard SRP may reduce bacterial count and reinfection significantly. Laser therapy could be helpful in treating periodontal disease because of its antibacterial and detoxifying effects. The goal of this study is to investigate whether using a DL in addition to conventional flap surgery enhances patient outcomes for those with chronic generalized periodontitis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The 12 participants in this split-mouth trial with chronic generalized periodontitis were the main subject of the study. All of them had probing pocket depths (PPDs) of at least 5 mm after the initial phase of treatment. Each patient in the control group (Group A) and test group (Group B) received a conventional flap after being randomly assigned to one of the groups. Group B underwent a conventional flap with a 980 nm DL, whereas those in Group A did not receive any DL therapy. Periodontal pockets in both groups were evaluated at baseline, 45 days, and 90 days after a sub-gingival plaque test. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reactions were used to examine the presence of red complex organisms in the plaque sample.

RESULTS

From baseline to 45 days and then to 90 days, clinical attachment loss (CAL), plaque index (PI), and gingival index (GI) all significantly decreased. However, results from 45 days to 90 days were statistically non-significant, with the exception of the GI, where Group B results were significantly different from Group A results from 45 days to 90 days. On the other hand, when a DL was combined with conventional flap surgery in the test group, the quantity of red complex bacteria was significantly decreased.

CONCLUSION

When DL was used in conjunction with conventional flap surgery, the results showed that CAL, PI, and GI were all significantly reduced while the quantity of red complex bacteria was also significantly decreased.

Salivary tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels in periodontitis associated with diabetes mellitus after low level laser therapy as an adjunct to scaling and root planning: A randomized clinical trial

Context:

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) has been shown to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of periodontitis and diabetes. Nonsurgical periodontal therapy was shown to reduce inflammation and improves glycemic status. Recently, adjunctive low level laser therapy (LLLT) has been shown to alter the inflammatory process.

Aim:

To evaluate and compare the alteration in TNF-α levels before and after treatment in patients with periodontitis with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Settings and Design:

Randomised clinico-biochemical study was carried out for 8 weeks from September 2019 to December 2020.

Materials and Methods:

Sixty-four participants were divided into Groups A (periodontitis) and B (periodontitis associated with T2DM), based on probing depth ≥5 mm, clinical attachment level ≥2 mm, and history of T2DM. Later were subdivided into A1, A2, B1, B2, based on assigned treatments. Clinical periodontal parameters and salivary TNF-α levels were evaluated and compared at baseline to 8 weeks.

Statistical Analysis:

Multiple group comparisons were done using analysis of variance, intra group comparisons were made using t-tests.

Results:

Comparison of periodontal parameters and salivary TNF-α levels from baseline to 8 weeks showed statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) in all groups, indicating a positive effect of scaling and root planing (SRP) and adjunctive LLLT.

Conclusion:

Both SRP and SRP with adjunctive LLLT effectively altered TNF-α levels, correlating reduced periodontal inflammation.

Comparison of salivary calprotectin levels in periodontitis associated with diabetes mellitus after low-level laser therapy as an adjunct to scaling and root planing: A randomized clinical trial

Context and Aims:

Calprotectin is a myeloid protein, exerting pro-inflammatory effects on various cells and are shown to be elevated in inflammatory diseases. Periodontal therapy has been shown to decrease the levels of calprotectin in body fluids. Hence, the present study was aimed at assessing salivary calprotectin levels in periodontitis associated with diabetes mellitus after low-level laser therapy (LLLT) as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP).

Materials and Methods:

Sixty-four participants were divided into Groups A (periodontitis) and B (periodontitis associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus [T2DM]) based on probing depth of ≥5 mm, clinical attachment level (CAL) of >2 mm, and history of T2DM. Based on assigned treatments, the groups were subdivided into A1, A2, B1, and B2 where A1 and B1 were subjected to SRP alone and A2 and B2 received LLLT as an adjunct to SRP, respectively. The parameters assessed included probing pocket depth, CAL, bleeding on probing (BOP), plaque index (PI), and salivary calprotectin. All the values were subjected for comparison at baseline and 8 weeks.

Statistical Analysis Used:

Multiple group comparisons were done using analysis of variance; intragroup comparisons were made using t-test. The level of significance was assessed at P < 0.05 for all tests.

Results:

All parameters showed a significant difference within the groups from baseline to 8 weeks. Intergroup comparison of PI, BOP, and salivary calprotectin showed a significant difference (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:

Reduction in calprotectin levels was noticed with LLLT when used as an adjunct to SRP. Calprotectin may be used as a prognostic marker for periodontitis.

Clinical Efficacy of the 940-nm Diode Laser in the Treatment of Recurrent Pockets in the Periodontal Maintenance Phase

Introduction: The basis of periodontal treatments is the mechanical removal of bacterial biofilm, which is often not sufficient. Therefore, laser therapy can be effective as an adjunct treatment. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of the 940-nm diode laser in the treatment of recurrent pockets of patients in the periodontal maintenance phase. Methods: The present clinical trial study was performed on 20 patients. Clinical indices, including bleeding index (BI), probing pocket depth (PPD), and clinical attachment level (CAL) of the studied teeth were recorded before the test. The different quadrants were randomly divided into two experimental (scaling and root planing (SRP)+Laser) and control groups (SRP alone). Both groups were matched in terms of plaque index (PI). Clinical indices were re-recorded using therapeutic methods 30 and 90 days after the treatment, and data analysis was carried out using the t test and LSD. Results: There were no significant differences in PI, PPD, CAL, and BI in both groups before the treatment (P>0.05). However, there were significant differences in PPD, CAL, and BI in the two groups one month after the treatment (P<0.05); it means that improvements were more significant in the experimental group than in the control group. Comparing experimental and control groups, we found that there were no significant differences in PPD and CAL indices three months after the treatment (P>0.05); however, there were significant improvements in the BI index in both groups (P<0.05), so that the improvement was better in the experimental group than the control group. Conclusion: Both SRP+Laser and SRP alone improved clinical indices in patients. In short-term follow-up, the effect of SRP+Laser treatment on BI, CAL, PPD was significantly superior to SRP treatment alone, but in long-term follow-up, SRP+laser was more effective than SRP alone in improving the BI index.

Effectiveness of an 810-nm Diode Laser in Addition to Non-surgical Periodontal Therapy in Patients With Chronic Periodontitis: A Randomized Single-Blind Clinical Trial

Introduction: This study evaluated the effectiveness of an 810-nm diode laser as an adjunct to scaling and root planning (SRP) in improving periodontal parameters in patients with chronic periodontitis. Methods: This randomized clinical trial consisted of 36 patients (16 females and 20 males) with chronic periodontitis and pocket depths of 4-6 mm. The quadrants were randomly divided into two sides; one side of each patient was selected as the laser group (SRP + laser) and the other side served as the control group (SRP alone). An 810-nm diode laser was applied in the laser side to remove the outer gingival epithelium (1.5 W, CW) as well as the inner epithelium of the periodontal pockets (1 W, CW). The clinical parameters including bleeding on probing (BOP), probing depth (PD), plaque index (PI), and clinical attachment level (CAL) were measured at baseline and 6 and 18 weeks after therapy. Results: In both groups, there was a significant improvement in BOP, PD, PI and CAL over the course of the experiment (P < 0.001). Significantly lower BOP was found in the SRP + laser group than the SRP alone group after 6 and 18 weeks of intervention (P < 0.05). The difference in other parameters was not significant between the two groups, neither at 6 nor at 18 weeks after the treatment (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, the association of the diode laser with standard non-surgical periodontal therapy (SRP) provided minimal additional benefits for patients with moderate chronic periodontitis.

LASER in periodontal treatment: is it an effective treatment or science fiction?

There are several studies that evaluate the use of lasers in periodontal treatment in non-surgical or surgical therapy. However, while several studies showed clinically beneficial effects of some lasers in periodontal treatment, there are few clinical reports of additional advantages of lasers as adjunctive treatments in periodontology. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate and critically analyze the level of scientific evidence of effects of low-level lasers and high-power lasers in periodontology. A narrative review of the studies was carried out in each topic and type of laser or periodontal treatment. In nonsurgical periodontal therapy the results showed that there is an additional clinical benefit when using a diode laser (DL) associated with scaling and root planing (SRP) in patients with moderate to severe periodontitis. The Er:YAG laser seems to be the most suitable for nonsurgical periodontal therapy and promotes the same clinical effects as conventional therapy. In periodontal surgery vaporization of the gingival or mucosal tissue can be carried out with DL, CO2, Nd:YAG, Er:YAG and Er,Cr:YSGG lasers. Photobiomodulation (PBM), mediated by low-level lasers associated with non-surgical periodontal therapy, promotes additional benefits in the short term and accelerates the bone and gingival tissue repair process and also reduces postoperative symptoms of periodontal surgery. The effect of antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy is relevant in the initial reevaluation periods. Studies have shown controversial results of the use of lasers in periodontics, and this fact may be due to the lack of standard parameters of irradiation in each clinical application.

Clinical effectiveness of adjunctive diode laser on scaling and root planing in the treatment of periodontitis: is there an optimal combination of usage mode and application regimen? A systematic review and meta-analysis

This review aims to evaluate the adjunctive clinical effectiveness of diode laser (DL) to scaling and root planing (SRP) in the treatment of periodontitis, and identify the optimal combination of usage mode and application regimen of DL. Eight electronic databases were searched up to January 2021. Probing pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment loss (CAL), bleeding on probing (BOP), plaque index (PI), and gingival index (GI) were assessed at short-term (4-6 weeks), 3-month, and 6-month follow-ups. Based on DL usage mode, studies were divided into three groups: inside, outside pocket, and combined modes. As for application regimen, studies in each group were further subdivided into single- and multiple-session subgroups. Thirty randomized controlled trials with 825 participants were included. For inside mode, single-session DL showed significant improvements for PPD (short-term, and 3-month, p < 0.05), CAL (short-term, and 3-month, p < 0.05), PI (3- and 6-month, p < 0.05), and GI (short-term, 3-month, and 6-month, p < 0.05). For outside mode, multiple-session DL showed notable improvements for most clinical outcomes (p < 0.05). The effect of combined mode was still uncertain. Adjunctive DL had additional clinical benefits in the treatment of periodontitis. One session laser treatment is suggested when DL is applied inside pocket in future clinical practice. Meanwhile, more than one session laser treatment presents better outcomes when DL is used outside pocket. PROSPERO: CRD42020156162.

Impact of Adjunctive Diode Laser Application to Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy on Clinical, Microbiological and Immunological Outcomes in Management of Chronic Periodontitis: A Systematic Review of Human Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials

Background

Due to the limitations of scaling and root planing (SRP) in chronic periodontitis (CP) management, research has been focused on utilising additional therapies to enhance conventional treatment methods. The present systematic review is aimed to appraise the accessible scientific evidence of in vivo human studies to establish the effectiveness of adjunctive diode (λ 808- λ 980nm) laser treatment to SRP in CP.

Methodology

This systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA statement guidelines. The review protocol is registered in PROSPERO (CRD 42021227695). The search strategies were based on structured electronic and manual (with appropriate keywords) and were conducted to collect the applicable published data on RCTs studies (in vivo human), spanning over ten years between August 2010 and August 2020. The articles were selected to address the following research focus question: “Does diode laser (λ 808- λ 980nm) therapy have superior effects as an adjunct to SPR, compared to SRP alone, in terms of clinical or microbiological or immunological profiles in the management of CP?”

Results

Fifteen articles met the eligibility criteria and are included in this review. A wide range of discrepancies and inconsistencies were shown in the outcomes of the laser and SPR treatment modality, compared to SRP alone. The data on standardised study protocol, optimal laser parameters and outcome measurements were inconclusive, and a high risk of bias in the majority of the studies observed, which are crucial in establishing a homogenous and reproducible protocol.

Conclusion

In light of the confined evidence-based data and critical evaluation of this systematic review, the efficacy of adjunctive diode laser treatment ranging between 808 and 980nm to SRP remains debatable. The observational quality of the present systematic review was emphasised after scrutinising the available data, and an attempt to propose a laser protocol for future RCTs consideration was a great challenge due to an absence of clear and standardised recommendations in delivering a reliable laser protocol which can be replicable by future investigators. RCTs with robust methodology are warranted.

Clinical and biochemical effect of laser as an adjunct to non-surgical treatment of chronic periodontitis

Objectives

To evaluate the clinical and biochemical efficacy of laser therapy as an adjunct to non‐surgical treatment in chronic periodontitis.

Methods

A systematic search was performed through the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library for eligible articles published as of May 2, 2020, supplemented by information search in the System for Information on Programme Literature in Europe and a manual literature search. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) used to compare the adjunctive use of laser and non‐surgical treatment alone with an observation period of at least 6 months were included.

Results

Sixteen RCTs with a total of 525 subjects were included. Meta‐analysis suggested that the additional use of laser to scaling and root planing (SRP) showed significant superiority over SRP alone among most of clinical parameters involved. Regarding the GCF, although volume in the laser group was lower at week 4 and 12, no significant difference was found regarding the cytokines level. Subgroup analysis revealed that the combined therapy produced no significant difference in PD, CAL and PI at most time points for studies in respect to smokers. No treatment‐related adverse events had been reported in the included studies.

Conclusions

Pooled analysis suggested that laser‐assisted non‐surgical treatment improved clinical outcome to SRP alone in the management of non‐smoking chronic periodontitis patients.

Adjunctive laser or antimicrobial photodynamic therapy to non-surgical mechanical instrumentation in patients with untreated periodontitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM

To compare the adjunctive effects of lasers or antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) to non-surgical mechanical instrumentation alone in untreated periodontitis patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Two focused questions were addressed using the Population, Intervention, Comparison and Outcome criteria as follows: in patients with untreated periodontitis, (a) does laser application provide adjunctive effects on probing pocket depth (PPD) changes compared with non-surgical instrumentation alone? and (b) does application of aPDT provide adjunctive effects on PPD changes compared with non-surgical instrumentation alone? Both randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) and controlled clinical trials (CCTs) were included. Results of the meta-analysis are expressed as weighted mean differences (WMD) and reported according to the PRISMA guidelines.

RESULTS

Out of 1,202 records, 10 articles for adjunctive laser and 8 for adjunctive aPDT were included. With respect to PPD changes, 1 meta-analysis including 2 articles (total n = 42; split-mouth design) failed to identify a statistically significant difference (WMD = 0.35 mm; 95%CI: -0.04/0.73; p = .08) in favour of adjunctive aPDT (wavelength range 650-700 nm). In terms of adjunctive laser application, a high variability of clinical outcomes at 6 months was noted. Two articles included patient-reported outcomes and 10 reported on the presence/absence of harms/adverse effects.

CONCLUSIONS

Available evidence on adjunctive therapy with lasers and aPDT is limited by (a) the low number of controlled studies and (b) the heterogeneity of study designs. Patient-reported benefits remain to be demonstrated.

In vivo investigation of diode laser application on red complex bacteria in non-surgical periodontal therapy: a split-mouth randomised control trial

Assessment of the efficacy of a single 810 nm diode laser application as an adjunctive treatment modality during the first intervention of non-surgical periodontal therapy (NPT). 25 patients diagnosed with chronic periodontitis underwent a split-mouth randomised control trial. The periodontal pockets of the test quadrants were treated with an 810 nm diode laser as an adjunct to NPT (Picasso GaAlAs; AMD Lasers). The laser was set at 1.0 W continuous wave, 400 µm tip, 796 W/cm² peak power density and a 32 J/cm² energy density. Therapeutic outcomes were evaluated based on the clinical parameters, which included probing pocket depth, recession, clinical attachment level, full mouth plaque score, full mouth bleeding on probing and tooth mobility. The baseline bacterial collection was completed from the periodontal pockets and then re-evaluated at 6 weeks. Clinical parameters demonstrated no statistical difference, with the exception of a statistically significant (P < 0.05) reduction in bleeding on probing for the test side. The test side resulted in a statistical increase of Capnocytophagaspecies and Treponemadenticola. The single application of the diode laser did not significantly improve the bacterial nor the clinical parameters in patients with chronic periodontitis.

Trial registration number: PACTR201909915338276.

Bio-Inspired Systems in Nonsurgical Periodontal Therapy to Reduce Contaminated Aerosol during COVID-19: A Comprehensive and Bibliometric Review

Background: On 30 January 2020, a public health emergency of international concern was declared as a result of the new COVID-19 disease, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This virus is transmitted by air and, therefore, clinical practices with the production of contaminant aerosols are highly at risk. The purpose of this review was to assess the effectiveness of bio-inspired systems, as adjuvants to nonsurgical periodontal therapy, in order to formulate bio-inspired protocols aimed at restoring optimal condition, reducing bacteremia and aerosols generation. Methods: A comprehensive and bibliometric review of articles published in English. Research of clinical trials (RCTs) were included with participants with chronic or aggressive periodontal disease, that have compared benefits for nonsurgical periodontal therapy (NSPT). Results: Seventy-four articles have been included. For probing depth (PPD) there was a statically significant improvement in laser, probiotic, chlorhexidine groups, such as gain in clinical attachment level (CAL). Bleeding on probing (BOP) reduction was statistically significant only for probiotic and chlorhexidine groups. There were changes in microbiological and immunological parameters. Conclusions: The use of bio-inspired systems in nonsurgical periodontal treatment may be useful in reducing risk of bacteremia and aerosol generation, improving clinical, microbiological and immunological parameters, of fundamental importance in a context of global pandemic, where the reduction of bacterial load in aerosols becomes a pivotal point of clinical practice, but other clinical trials are necessary to achieve statistical validity.

Nonsurgical periodontal therapy with/without 980 nm diode laser in patients after myocardial infarction: a randomized clinical trial

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possible benefits (in terms of periodontal status improvement and periodontal bacteria count reduction) of using 980 nm diode laser in the treatment of periodontitis in patients after myocardial infarction. Thirty-six patients under 65 years of age (mean: 56.3 ± 7.9) with periodontitis, 6 weeks to 6 months after myocardial infarction, were recruited for the study. The control group (n = 18) received SRP (scaling, root planing and polishing) while the test group (n = 18) received SRP followed by laser therapy of the periodontal pockets with 980 nm diode laser, 1 W, continuous wave mode, 20 s per tooth side. Procedures were repeated twice at 5-7 day intervals. Microbiological and periodontal examination, including periodontal pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment loss (CAL), bleeding on probing (BOP) and plaque control record (PCR), were performed before treatment, 2 weeks and 3 months after treatment. The study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov with Identifier: NCT04145557, 29.10.2019 "retrospectively registered". Additional use of laser resulted in a significant reduction in pockets with PPD ≥ 7 mm (p = 0.0151). The diode laser reduced total bacteria count (p = 0.0154) and delayed recolonisation during a 3-month observation period. A significant increase in the number of Capnocytophaga gingivalis was observed in the control group (p = 0.048). Additional use of the diode laser after SRP had no significant effect on BOP, CAL and PCR. Within the limitations of our study, we can conclude that 980 nm diode laser can be a useful tool in the treatment of periodontitis in patients after myocardial infarction.

Do Lasers Have an Adjunctive Role in Initial Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy? A Systematic Review

(1) Background: dental lasers have numerous applications for periodontal therapy which include surgical procedures of soft tissue and osseous structures, and non-surgical treatments such as pathogen reduction, removal of surface accretions, and photobiomodulation. The aim of this review was to evaluate the scientific literature to ascertain whether lasers have a beneficial role when used adjunctively in initial non-surgical periodontal therapy. (2) Methods: A PubMed search was performed specifically for randomized clinical trials where a dental laser was used adjunctively for initial periodontal therapy on human patients published from January 2010–April 2020. The first search identified 1294 eligible studies. After additional criteria and filters were applied, 20 manuscripts were included in this review. (3) Results: The chosen manuscripts reported on investigations into initial therapy for patients diagnosed with chronic periodontitis. After periodontal charting, conventional instrumentation such as hand and ultrasonic scaling was performed on all patients in the studies, and then a test group or groups of patients were treated adjunctively with a laser. That adjunctive laser group’s periodontal findings showed various degrees of improved health compared to the group treated with only conventional methods. (4) Conclusion: This systematic review found that 70% of the included studies reported significantly better outcomes in certain clinical parameters, but no improvement in others. The remaining 30% of the manuscripts reported no significant difference in any of the measurements. With consideration to correct parametry, lasers have an adjunctive role in initial non-surgical periodontal therapy.

Simultaneous photoablative and photodynamic 810-nm diode laser therapy as an adjunct to non-surgical periodontal treatment: an in-vitro study

BACKGROUND

The use of lasers at different wavelengths has been proposed in combination with conventional non-surgical periodontal treatment in order to improve the clinical outcome of periodontal disease. However, the clinical use of laser photonic energy is still the subject of research and debate because the antibacterial activity of the laser is dependent upon method, laser parameters, quantity of bacteria, species selected and photosensitizers used.

METHODS

We evaluated the in-vitro bactericidal activity of 810 nm diode-laser irradiation in simultaneous photoablative and photodynamic mode against the major pathogenic bacterial organisms associated with periodontal inflammation and disease. We used indocyanine green as photosensitizer and the high-energy density of 161.7 J/cm2 or 215.0 J/cm2 for the photoablative-photodynamic irradiation.

RESULTS

The bacteria were drastically affected by the 215.0 J/cm2 irradiation in the presence of indocyanine green. In fact, the number of Porphyromonas gingivalis and Prevotella intermedia was reduced by 99.9% (P<0.001), while the number of Fusobacterium nucleatum, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Tannerella forsythia and Actinomyces viscosus decremented by 83.3% (P<0.01), 86.8% (P<0.05), 75% (P<0.01) and 78.7% (P<0.001), respectively. P. gingivalis and P. intermedia were the only bacteria that were sensitive to the treatment with indocyanine green dye and 161.7 J/cm2 of laser irradiation (P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our preliminary in-vitro data suggest that simultaneous photoablative-photodynamic irradiation could be a promising therapy against a wide range of bacteria involved in periodontal disease. We believe that further additional in-vivo investigation is necessary, to enable a more complete picture of effectiveness within a clinical setting to be established. In addition, the use of a simultaneous photoablative-photodynamic therapy is suggested to reduce treatment time, without compromising the efficacy against the periodontal pathogens.

Effect of diode laser application as an adjunct to nonsurgical periodontal therapy on the reduction of red complex microorganisms in type 2 diabetics with chronic periodontitis

Bactericidal and detoxification effects of diode laser (DL) have been reported in periodontal treatment. The objective of this study was investigating the additional effect of DL with nonsurgical periodontal treatment on the red complex bacteria in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients with chronic periodontitis (CP). Sixty type 2 DM patients with chronic periodontitis (CP) were randomly assigned in two parallel groups to receive scaling root planning (SRP, n = 30) or SRP followed by DL periodontal pocket irradiation (SRP + DL, n = 30). Recording of clinical parameters and subgingival plaque sampling were performed at baseline, and post therapy (1 and 3 months after treatment). Amounts of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola, and Tannerella forsythia were evaluated with quantitative RT-PCR. Significant reductions for numbers of all three bacterial species were observed at 1 and 3 months compared with baseline for both treatments (p < 0.001), but no significant differences were found between two groups regarding bacterial reductions at these follow-up time points. No additional benefit of DL as an adjunct to nonsurgical periodontal therapy was recognized in the reduction of P. gingivalis, T. denticola, and T. forsythia for type 2 DM patients with CP. Further studies are required to clarify the effects of diode laser on the other periodontopathogens.

Estimation of red-complex bacteria in diode laser treated chronic periodontitis patients: A clinical and microbiological study

Context:

Laser has been widely accepted as a substitute to traditional periodontal treatment. Only a finite number of studies are available based on the use of diode laser as a supplement to scaling and root planing (SRP) in the reduction of red-complex bacteria.

Aim:

This split-mouth study was aimed to determine the clinical and microbiological effects of diode laser as a supplement to SRP.

Materials and Methods:

For this split-mouth study, systemically healthy 34 patients with chronic periodontitis were selected. In the test quadrant, SRP + laser therapy was carried out, whereas in control quadrants, SRP alone was performed. Clinical and microbiological data were acquired at baseline and 3 months postoperative, and statistical analysis was carried out on the findings.

Results:

The results showed that both the treatment modalities were impelling. Considerable reduction in the mean probing depth and a notable improvement in the attachment level were observed in both groups in comparison to baseline, with a statistically significant reduction in the laser group. Microbiological analysis results showed more reduction in red-complex bacteria in the laser group compared to the SRP group, but they were statistically insignificant.

Conclusion:

Within the limitation of this study, it is recommended that both the SRP and SRP + laser are effective in chronic periodontitis management, but using laser with SRP has propitious results. Thus, in the forthcoming years, clinical experiments with a greater sample size may be chosen to further analyze the fringe benefits of laser as a supplement to SRP.

Effect of laser application in the healing of intrabony defects treated with bioactive glass

Aims:

Presence of bacteria within the environment of infrabony pockets affects healing during their treatment. Present investigation utilized a diode laser for pocket sanitization before the placement of bone biomaterial with the aim of enhancing the healing.

Materials and Methods:

Twelve patients with bilateral intrabony defects participated in a split-mouth study design. Control group received biomaterial application only after surgical debridement. Infrabony pockets in the test group were irradiated with 810-nm diode laser at 0.8 W, continuous wave for 20 s before surgical debridement and biomaterial application. Healing was assessed using clinical and radiologic parameters.

Results:

Control group showed mean probing depth (PD) reduction of 3.25 ± 0.62 at 3, 4.08 ± 0.90 mm at 6 months. 3.00 ± 0.73 at 3, 3.91 ± 0.66 mm at 6 months reduction in mean PD was seen in the test group (P < 0.001). No statistically significant differences between the groups were observed. A gain of 2.50 ± 0.67 at 3, 3.25 ± 0.62 mm at 6 months in relative clinical attachment level was seen in the control and of 2.33 ± 0.77 at 3, 3.16 ± 0.57 mm at 6 months in the test group (P < 0.001) without significant differences between groups. 1.33 ± 0.57 and 0.95 ± 0.68 mm hard-tissue fill (difference in the radiographic distance between cementoenamel junction and base of the intrabony defect pre- and post-operative) at 6 months was observed in the control and test groups, respectively (P < 0.001). Between groups differences (0.22 ± 0.24 mm) were not significant.

Conclusions:

Similar reduction in soft- and hard-tissue parameters in both groups indicates that adjunctive pocket sanitization with diode laser did not improve the healing of intrabony defects treated with bioactive glass.

Effect of Diode Laser-assisted Flap Surgery on Postoperative Healing and Clinical Parameters: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Background and Objectives:

Lasers have been widely used because of several potential benefits such as antibacterial effect and stimulation of wound healing. In addition, lasers help in hemostasis and delaying epithelial migration which may facilitate the outcome of flap surgery. Hence, this study is aimed to investigate the adjunctive effect of diode laser irradiation on conventional access flap surgery in the treatment of periodontal disease.

Materials and Methods:

A total of 23 patients requiring periodontal flap surgery in two sextants with probing pocket depth ≥5 mm in at least three teeth post-phase I therapy were selected for a split-mouth study. Flap surgery with adjunctive diode laser irradiation was performed in the test quadrant while conventional access flap surgery was done in the control quadrant. Procedural pain and tissue response of the patients were evaluated at 3, 7, and 14 days postoperatively. Clinical parameters including probing depth, clinical attachment level, plaque index, and gingival index were recorded at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months following treatment.

Results:

There is no significant difference between the groups with respect to healing response of tissues; however, patients experienced more pain in test sites compared to control sites. Intragroup comparisons showed a statistically significant reduction of all clinical parameters from baseline to 6 months without any significant difference between the groups.

Conclusion:

Overall within the limitations of the study, diode lasers did not show any significant added benefits over conventional access flap surgery.

Diode laser therapy in the management of chronic periodontitis - A clinico-microbiological study

Introduction

Chronic periodontitis (CP) is an infectious disease resulting in inflammation of the supporting tissues of the teeth with progressive attachment loss and bone loss. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of 980-nm diode laser, as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) in the management of CP.

Methodology

A total of 40 systemically healthy subjects diagnosed with CP were randomly assigned into two groups G1 (SRP and sham application of laser) and G2 (SRP and laser irradiation) with equal numbers in each. The levels of Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) were estimated from plaque samples using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Clinical and microbiological parameters were assessed at baseline, 4–6, and 12–14 weeks posttreatment in both groups.

Results

A gradual reduction in the levels of Pg and improvement in clinical parameters were observed from baseline to 4–6 and 12–14 weeks in both groups. However, the comparison between groups, although clinically relevant, was not found to be statistically significant.

Conclusion

Although a 980-nm diode laser may not have any added benefit compared with SRP, it may emerge as an effective non-surgical treatment option in advanced periodontitis with complex inaccessible subgingival niches where comprehensive periodontal care may not be feasible.

The Effects of Diode Laser Therapy as an Adjunct to Scaling and Root Planing in the Treatment of Aggressive Periodontitis: A 1-Year Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the clinical, microbial, and inflammatory effects of a diode laser as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) versus SRP alone for the treatment of generalized aggressive periodontitis (GAgP).

METHODS

Using a split-mouth design, 31 patients with GAgP were enrolled in the study. The maxillary right and left quadrants were randomly assigned to SRP+diode laser or SRP alone. Patients were examined on a regular basis for clinical, microbiological, and inflammatory mediator changes over a 1-year period. Clinical attachment level (CAL) was the primary outcome variable chosen. In addition, subgingival biofilm samples and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) inflammatory mediators were analyzed at each follow-up session.

RESULTS

Compared to baseline, both treatments demonstrated an improvement in periodontal parameters at 1 year. However, SRP+diode laser produced a significant improvement in probing depth (PD; 2.56 ± 0.44 vs. 3.36 ± 0.51 mm, p < 0.05) and CAL (3.47 ± 0.25 vs. 4.11 ± 0.26 mm, p < 0.05) values compared to SRP alone. Similarly, in the SRP+diode laser group, the bacteria of orange complex group were significantly reduced at 30 and 60 days compared to SRP alone. Moreover, SRP+diode laser determined a reduction in mean GCF level of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-1β/IL-10 ratio at 15 and 30 days compared to SRP alone (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

At 1 year, SRP+diode laser yielded a significant reduction in some clinical parameters, while microbial and inflammatory mediator changes were not significantly reduced compared to SRP alone.

Systematic review and meta-analysis on the nonsurgical treatment of chronic periodontitis by means of scaling and root planing with or without adjuncts

BACKGROUND

Conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on nonsurgical treatment of patients with chronic periodontitis by means of scaling and root planing (SRP) with or without adjuncts.

METHODS

A panel of experts convened by the American Dental Association Council on Scientific Affairs conducted a search of PubMed (MEDLINE) and Embase for randomized controlled trials of SRP with or without the use of adjuncts with clinical attachment level (CAL) outcomes in trials at least 6 months in duration and published in English through July 2014. The authors assessed individual study bias by using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool and conducted meta-analyses to obtain the summary effect estimates and their precision and to assess heterogeneity. The authors used funnel plots and Egger tests to assess publication bias when there were more than 10 studies. The authors used a modified version of the US Preventive Services Task Force methods to assess the overall level of certainty in the evidence.

RESULTS

The panel included 72 articles on the effectiveness of SRP with or without the following: systemic antimicrobials, a systemic host modulator (subantimicrobial-dose doxycycline), locally delivered antimicrobials (chlorhexidine chips, doxycycline hyclate gel, and minocycline microspheres), and a variety of nonsurgical lasers (photodynamic therapy with a diode laser, a diode laser, neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet lasers, and erbium lasers).

CONCLUSIONS AND PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

With a moderate level of certainty, the panel found approximately a 0.5-millimeter average improvement in CAL with SRP. Combinations of SRP with assorted adjuncts resulted in a range of average CAL improvements between 0.2 and 0.6 mm over SRP alone. The panel judged the following 4 adjunctive therapies as beneficial with a moderate level of certainty: systemic subantimicrobial-dose doxycycline, systemic antimicrobials, chlorhexidine chips, and photodynamic therapy with a diode laser. There was a low level of certainty in the benefits of the other included adjunctive therapies. The panel provides clinical recommendations in the associated clinical practice guideline.

Periodontal and peri-implant wound healing following laser therapy

Laser irradiation has numerous favorable characteristics, such as ablation or vaporization, hemostasis, biostimulation (photobiomodulation) and microbial inhibition and destruction, which induce various beneficial therapeutic effects and biological responses. Therefore, the use of lasers is considered effective and suitable for treating a variety of inflammatory and infectious oral conditions. The CO2 , neodymium-doped yttrium-aluminium-garnet (Nd:YAG) and diode lasers have mainly been used for periodontal soft-tissue management. With development of the erbium-doped yttrium-aluminium-garnet (Er:YAG) and erbium, chromium-doped yttrium-scandium-gallium-garnet (Er,Cr:YSGG) lasers, which can be applied not only on soft tissues but also on dental hard tissues, the application of lasers dramatically expanded from periodontal soft-tissue management to hard-tissue treatment. Currently, various periodontal tissues (such as gingiva, tooth roots and bone tissue), as well as titanium implant surfaces, can be treated with lasers, and a variety of dental laser systems are being employed for the management of periodontal and peri-implant diseases. In periodontics, mechanical therapy has conventionally been the mainstream of treatment; however, complete bacterial eradication and/or optimal wound healing may not be necessarily achieved with conventional mechanical therapy alone. Consequently, in addition to chemotherapy consisting of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory agents, phototherapy using lasers and light-emitting diodes has been gradually integrated with mechanical therapy to enhance subsequent wound healing by achieving thorough debridement, decontamination and tissue stimulation. With increasing evidence of benefits, therapies with low- and high-level lasers play an important role in wound healing/tissue regeneration in the treatment of periodontal and peri-implant diseases. This article discusses the outcomes of laser therapy in soft-tissue management, periodontal nonsurgical and surgical treatment, osseous surgery and peri-implant treatment, focusing on postoperative wound healing of periodontal and peri-implant tissues, based on scientific evidence from currently available basic and clinical studies, as well as on case reports.

Diode Laser Clinical Efficacy and Mini-Invasivity in Surgical Exposure of Impacted Teeth

The gold standard to arrange impacted teeth in the dental arch is represented by a surgical approach followed by orthodontic traction force application. In the literature, many surgical approaches are proposed to reach such a scope. The aim of the present study is to demonstrate how laser technique could positively assist surgical approaches.Study population was composed by 16 patients undergoing orthodontic treatment of 20 impacted teeth. In 10 patients (population A) surgical exposure of the impacted teeth was performed using a 980 nm diode laser, while in the other 10 patients (population B), surgical incision was performed using a traditional lancet.Only 3 patients of the population A needed local anesthesia for surgical procedure while the remaining 7 patients reported only faint pain during surgery. Two patients referred postsurgical pain (numerical rating scale average value = 2) and needed to take analgesics. None of the patients showed other postsurgical side effects (bleeding, edema).All population B patients needed infiltrative anesthesia and referred postsurgical pain (numerical rating scale average value >4) treated with analgesics. Moreover, in such population, 4 patients referred lips edema while 4 showed bleeding and 6 needed surgical sutures of soft tissues.The lack of side effects of laser surgical approach to expose impacted teeth must persuade dental practitioners to choose such a clinical approach to closed surgical approach every time it is possible.

Commentary: Is There Clinical Benefit From Using a Diode or Neodymium:Yttrium-Aluminum-Garnet Laser in the Treatment of Periodontitis?

Despite a quarter of a century of laser research, there is a persistent debate regarding the efficacy of dental lasers in the treatment of periodontitis or periodontal maintenance therapy. There are many claims and much hyperbole surrounding the use of lasers, either as a monotherapy or adjunctive to scaling and root planing, to treat periodontitis. There is little evidence that using a diode or neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser adds clinical value over and above conventional non-surgical or surgical periodontal treatment. There is a significant need for better designed human clinical trials. Data from such trials should be analyzed according to initial probing depth and characteristics of the treated sites, such as non-molar, molar flat surfaces, and molar furcations, and evaluated for long-term post-treatment results.

Efficacy of adjunctive laser in non-surgical periodontal treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis

To evaluate the efficacy of the adjunctive laser therapy in conventional non-surgical treatment of chronic periodontitis, an electronic search was performed through the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and China Biology Medicine (CBM) Disc, for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi-RCTs. All the 12 included studies (11 RCTs and 1 quasi-RCT) were qualified for descriptive and quantitative analysis. Outcomes were divided into two groups according to the length of follow-ups (long term and short term). Subgroup analyses were performed based on the mode of laser (inside and outside mode). Among all included researches, reduction in probing depth (PD) and gain in clinical attachment level (CAL) were presented with the mean value and 95 % confidence interval, while bleeding on probing (BOP) was assessed descriptively. Meta-analysis suggested that adjunctive laser therapy reduced PD at 3 months [mean difference (MD) = -0.26, 95 % confidence interval (CI) range = -0.43 to -0.09, p = 0.003] but did not demonstrate significant effect on the CAL at either 3 months (MD = -0.03, 95 % CI range = -0.25 to 0.19, p = 0.79) or 6 months (MD = -0.11, 95 % CI range = -0.38 to 0.16, p = 0.43). Subgroup analyses indicated that laser therapy would be more effective when the probes were set up outside the periodontal pockets.

Effect of Nonsurgical Periodontal Treatment Combined With Diode Laser or Photodynamic Therapy on Chronic Periodontitis: A Randomized Controlled Split-Mouth Clinical Trial

INTRODUCTION

The optimum removal of bacteria and their toxins from periodontal pockets is not always obtained by conventional mechanical debridement. Adjunctive therapies may improve tissue healing through detoxification and bactericidal effects. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the impact of adjunctive laser therapy (LT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) on patients with chronic periodontitis.

METHODS

Twenty patients with at least three quadrants involved and each of them presenting pockets 4-8 mm deep were included in the study. Periodontal treatment comprising scaling and root planning (SRP) was accomplished for the whole mouth. Applying a split-mouth design, each quadrant was randomly treated with SRP alone (group A), SRP with LT (group B), and SRP with PDT (group C). The clinical indices were measured at baseline 6 weeks and 3 months after treatment. Microbiological samples were taken and evaluated at baseline and 3-month follow-up.

RESULTS

All groups showed statistically significant improvements in terms of clinical attachment level (CAL) gain, periodontal pocket depth (PPD) reduction, papilla bleeding index and microbial count compared to baseline (P < .05). The results showed more significant improvement in the 6-week evaluation in terms of CAL in groups B and C than in group A (P < .05). Group B also revealed a greater reduction in PPD than the other treatment modalities (P < .05).

CONCLUSION

The obtained data suggested that adjunctive LT and PDT have significant short-term benefits in the treatment of chronic periodontitis. Furthermore, LT showed minimal additional advantages compared to PDT.

The effect of the thermal diode laser (wavelength 808-980 nm) in non-surgical periodontal therapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

FOCUSED QUESTION

What is the adjunctive effect of a diode laser (DL) following non-surgical periodontal debridement (SRP) during the initial phase of periodontal therapy on the clinical parameters of periodontal inflammation.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The MEDLINE-PubMed, Cochrane-Central Register of Controlled Trials and EMBASE databases were searched up to September 2013. Probing pocket depth (PPD) and clinical attachment loss (CAL) were selected as outcome variables. Also plaque scores (PS), bleeding scores (BS) and the Gingival Index (GI) were considered outcome measures. Data were extracted and a meta-analysis (MA) was performed where appropriate.

RESULTS

Independent screening of 416 unique papers resulted in nine eligible publications. The MA evaluating PPD, CAL and PS showed no significant effect. The only significance favouring adjunctive use of the DL was observed for the outcome parameters GI and BS.

CONCLUSION

The collective evidence regarding adjunctive use of the DL with SRP indicates that the combined treatment provides an effect comparable to that of SRP alone. That is for PPD and CAL. The body of evidence considering the adjunctive use of the DL is judged to be "moderate" for changes in PPD and CAL. With respect to BS, the results showed a small but significant effect favouring the DL, however, the clinical relevance of this difference remains a question. This systematic review questions the adjunctive use of DL with traditional mechanical modalities of periodontal therapy in patients with periodontitis.

Effect of Er,Cr:YSGG laser application in the treatment of experimental periodontitis

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of an erbium, chromium:yttrium-scandium-gallium-garnet (Er,Cr:YSGG) laser in the absence or presence of manual scaling and root planning (SRP) for the treatment of induced periodontitis in rats. Ligatures were placed in the subgingival region of the maxillary first molar. After a 7-day period, the ligatures were removed, and 40 rats were randomly divided into four groups (G), as follows: (GI) no treatment, (GII) scaling and root planning (SRP) with curettes, (GIII) Er,Cr:YSGG laser irradiation and (GIV) SRP with curettes followed by Er,Cr:YSGG laser irradiation. Seven and 30 days after the treatment, the animals were sacrificed and histologic, histometric and immunohistochemistry analyses were performed. All groups showed similar histopathological characteristics during the evaluation period. The histometric analysis was confirmed using Bonferroni and paired t tests. At 7 and 30 days, groups II, III and IV exhibited greater bone formation in the furcation area when compared to group I (p < 0.0001; p < 0.05). During the 7-day period, the groups irradiated with the laser (III and IV) showed a statistically larger new bone area than the group treated with SRP (II) (p < 0.01). Immunohistochemistry analysis revealed that the control group exhibited a higher expression of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) and the receptor activator of nuclear factor κΒ ligand (RANKL) when compared to groups II, III and IV (p < 0.05). All treatments were able to reduce the inflammatory processes, consequently enabling the repair of periodontal tissues. The results achieved with the application of the Er,Cr:YSGG laser suggest that this laser can stimulate greater bone formation, especially over a shorter period of time.

Photodynamic therapy in the treatment of chronic periodontitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

This meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the efficacy and safety of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy used alone or adjunctive to scaling root planing in patients with chronic periodontitis. The meta-analysis was conducted according to the QUOROM statement and recommendations of the Cochrane Collaboration. An extensive literature search was performed on seven databases, followed by a manual search. Weighted mean differences and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for clinical attachment level, probing depth and gingival recession. The I(2) test was used for inter-study heterogeneity; visual asymmetry inspection of the funnel plot, Egger's regression test and the trim-and-fill method were used to investigate publication bias. At 3 months, significant differences in clinical attachment level (p = 0.006) and probing depth reduction (p = 0.02) were observed for scaling root planing with antimicrobial photodynamic therapy, while no significant differences were retrieved for antimicrobial photodynamic therapy used alone; at 6 months no significant differences were observed for any investigated outcome. Neither heterogeneity nor publication bias was detected. The use of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy adjunctive to conventional treatment provides short-term benefits, but microbiological outcomes are contradictory. There is no evidence of effectiveness for the use of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy as alternative to scaling root planing. Long-term randomized controlled clinical trials reporting data on microbiological changes and costs are needed to support the long-term efficacy of adjunctive antimicrobial photodynamic therapy and the reliability of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy as alternative treatment to scaling root planing.