Laser Decontamination and LED Photobiomodulation Promote Bone Regeneration and Wound Healing by Secondary Intention, in Alveolar Ridge Preservation-Clinical and Radiographic Evaluation: A Pilot Experience.

Background: Tooth loss reduces crestal bone with important resorption of alveolar dimensions, reducing the possibility of placing implants after wounds healing. Objective: The goal of this pilot experience was to consider, in alveolar ridge preservation, the regenerative and decontaminating potential of oxygen high-level laser therapy (OHLLT), a high-frequency and high-power diode laser combined with hydrogen peroxide 10 volumes 3%, and to evaluate wound closure during the 14-21 days after surgery. Methods: For this study we selected 15 patients (age range from 30 to 70 years old) who underwent alveolar ridge preservation (three patients were treated in the anterior maxilla, 12 in the mandibular jaw, with molars and premolars involved). A clinical and radiographic examination was performed at baseline. In this pilot experience, after the extractions, the sockets were treated with photodynamic therapy without dye (OHLLT/SiOxyL+ protocol) to decontaminate the area that was treated, combined with allografts, Osteobiol, granulometry 25, Platelet-Rich Fibrin and collagen membranes, Biogide/Geistlich. Photobiomodulation (PBM) sessions with ATP38 were made for the first 4 months every 2 weeks. Clinical evaluations were performed at 14, 21, 90, and 240 days. Radiographic evaluations with cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) were performed at 240 days, before the second surgery. Two hundred seventy days after the first surgery, a new surgical treatment was made with the same concepts adopted in the first surgery, to place implants. Results: All alveolar ridge preservation surgeries were successful, with minimal bone resorption after 9 months. Closure of gingival tissue healed by secondary intention was achieved after 14 days for all patients, except one, who showed wound closure after 21 days. Conclusions: This pilot experience showed that this technique allowed to obtain new bone and wound healing by secondary intention in treated sites and to place implants in all patients, without other bone augmentation techniques, thanks to extracellular matrix induced by photodynamic laser therapy on grafts materials and to PBM made each 2 weeks for the first 4 months postsurgery. The study was conducted according to the guidelines of the Ethics Committee of the School of Medicine and Surgery at the Milano Bicocca University (protocol n. 11/17), and derived from the approval of Italian National Institute of Health (ISS), protocol 30 July 2007-0040488.

Clinical Evaluation of Diode (980 nm) Laser-Assisted Nonsurgical Periodontal Pocket Therapy: A Randomized Comparative Clinical Trial and Bacteriological Study.

Background: Mechanical debridement is the gold standard in the periodontitis therapy. However, it is suggested that adjunctive use of lasers can result in a more effective treatment outcome. Objective: Evaluate the efficiency of diode laser-assisted nonsurgical therapy of periodontitis as adjunctive to scaling and root planing (SRP). Methods: One hundred sixty vertical bone defects [pocket depth (PD) at baseline ≥6 mm] had been randomly allocated to receive SRP alone (group C) or SRP coupled to a diode laser (980 nm) protocol (group C+L): SRP, irrigation with hydrogen peroxide solution (3%), de-epithelization of the internal and external gingiva followed by blood stabilization, and coagulation by laser beam were made. Beam parameters: 10 µsec/pulse duration, 10 kHz, pick power of 10 W, average power of 1 W, and fiber diameter of 400 µm. Plaque index (PI), bleeding on probing, gingival recession (GR), clinical attachment level (CAL), and PD were measured at baseline, at 6 weeks, 12 weeks, 18 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months. Microbiological data were collected randomly from 26 pockets from both groups at baseline, 6 weeks, 12 weeks, and 6 months after treatment. Results: At all periods of follow-up, there was a significant difference between both groups in all clinical parameters except in GR. In group C+L, 76% of pockets had PD ≤3 mm after 12 months of follow-up and an average of PD = 1.77 ± 0.46 mm, while 56% of pockets in group control (C) had an average of PD = 5.00 ± 0.83 mm after 12 months of follow-up. Total bacteria count in group C + L was significantly lower compared to group C only at 12 weeks and 6 months of follow-up. Furthermore, there was high significant decrease in the number of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, and Prevotella intermedia at all the follow-up periods. Conclusions: As adjunctive to SRP, diode laser-assisted nonsurgical therapy of periodontitis has significantly improved clinical parameters of PI and POB and has significantly reduced the clinical attachment loss (CAL) and PD compared to the control group after 1 year of follow-up. A significant reduction in periodontal pathogens has been observed in group C + L only at 12 weeks and 6 months of follow-up.

Clinical, Radiographic and Microbiological Evaluation of High Level Laser Therapy, a New Photodynamic Therapy Protocol, in Peri-Implantitis Treatment; a Pilot Experience.

Aim. Endosseous implants are widely used to replace missing teeth but mucositis and peri-implantitis are the most frequent long-term complications related with dental implants. Removing all bacterial deposits on contaminated implant surface is very difficult due to implant surface morphology. The aim of this study was to evaluate the bactericidal potential of photodynamic therapy by using a new high level laser irradiation protocol associated with hydrogen peroxide in peri-implantitis. Materials and Methods. 10 patients affected by peri-implantitis were selected for this study. Medical history, photographic documentation, periodontal examination, and periapical radiographs were collected at baseline and 6 months after surgery. Microbiological analysis was performed with PCR Real Time. Each patient underwent nonsurgical periodontal therapy and surgery combined with photodynamic therapy according to High Level Laser Therapy protocol. Results. All peri-implant pockets were treated successfully, without having any complication and not showing significant differences in results. All clinical parameters showed an improvement, with a decrease of Plaque Index (average decrease of 65%, range 23-86%), bleeding on probing (average decrease of 66%, range 26-80%), and probing depth (average decrease of 1,6 mm, range 0,46-2,6 mm). Periapical radiographs at 6 months after surgery showed a complete radiographic filling of peri-implant defect around implants treated. Results showed a decrease of total bacterial count and of all bacterial species, except for Eikenella corrodens, 6 months after surgery. Conclusion. Photodynamic therapy using HLLT appears to be a good adjunct to surgical treatment of peri-implantitis.