Photobiomodulation for the treatment of periodontal pockets in patients with type 2 diabetes: 1-year results of a randomized clinical trial.

This study investigated the local effect of photobiomodulation (PBM) for the treatment of periodontal pockets in patients with periodontitis and type 2 diabetes. Thirty-eight periodontal pockets presenting probing depth (PD) and clinical attachment level (CAL) ≥ 5 mm were selected from 19 patients (two pockets/patient). The selected periodontal pockets were randomly assigned to receive mechanical debridement only (control group) or mechanical debridement with PBM (PBM group). Clinical measures, such as PD, CAL, bleeding on probing (BoP), and presence of supragingival biofilm (PI), were collected and compared at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months. After 12 months, no statistically difference was observed for mean PD and mean CAL when control and PBM groups were compared. The frequency of pockets with PD 5-6 mm was significantly lower for the PBM group at 6 months when compared to the control group. Pockets with PD ≥ 7 mm changed significantly between baseline and 3, 6, and 12 months for the PBM group, while for the control group, statistical significance was only observed between baseline and 6 months. The PBM protocol used in this study did not provide significant changes for PD and CAL in periodontal pockets when compared to mechanical therapy only. However, PBM was more effective in reducing the percentage of moderate periodontal pockets at 6 months in patients with type 2 DM.

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

OBJECTIVES: This randomized split-mouth clinical trial was designed to evaluate the efficacy of scaling and root planing associated to the high-intensity diode laser on periodontal therapy by means of clinical parameters and microbial reduction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 36 chronic periodontitis subjects, of both genders, were selected. One pair of contralateral single-rooted teeth with pocket depth >5 mm was chosen from each subject. All patients received non-surgical periodontal treatment, after which the experimental teeth were designated to either test or control groups. Both teeth received scaling, root planing and coronal polishing (SRP) and teeth assigned to the test group (SRP + DL) were irradiated with the 808 ± 5 nm diode laser, for 20 s, in two isolated appointments, 1 week apart. The laser was used in the continuous mode, with 1.5 W and power density of 1,193.7 W/cm(2). Clinical and microbiological data were collected at baseline, 6 weeks and 6 months after therapy. RESULTS: There was a significant improvement of all the clinical parameters-clinical attachment level (CAL), probing depth (PD), plaque index (PI) and Bleeding on Probing (BOP)-for both groups (P < 0.001), with no statistical difference between them at the 6 weeks and the 6 months examinations. As for microbiological analysis, a significant reduction after 6 weeks (P > 0.05) was observed as far as colony forming units (CFU) is concerned, for both groups. As for black-pigmented bacteria, a significant reduction was observed in both groups after 6 months. However, the difference between test and control groups was not significant. There was no association between group and presence of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans at any time of the study. CONCLUSIONS: After 6 months of evaluation, the high-intensity diode laser has not shown any additional benefits to the conventional periodontal treatment. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The high intensity diode laser did not provide additional benefits to non-surgical periodontal treatment. More studies are necessary to prove the actual need of this type of laser in the periodontal clinical practice.

Phenomenon of laser power loss during curettage of infected periodontal pockets.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reduction in laser power output (PO) at the optical fiber tip during laser curettage of infected periodontal pockets. BACKGROUND DATA: The combination of mechanical debridement with laser therapy has been used successfully in the treatment of periodontitis. METHODS: The study group consisted of 28 teeth selected in 12 patients with chronic periodontitis. The teeth were treated with scaling and root planing (SRP), and infected pocket epithelium was removed with an 810-nm diode laser operating at a laser power of 1.7 W in continuous-wave mode (CW). Laser power was set to 1.0 W at the control panel before each measurement to facilitate mathematical analysis, and PO at the optical fiber tip was measured using a power meter. Four laser applications were performed per tooth (duration, 10-15 sec per application; total duration, 40-60 sec per tooth). The fiber tip was cleaved every four applications. Also, 28 irradiations (four PO measurements per irradiation) were performed in non-contact mode and used as controls. RESULTS: There were significant PO losses between applications in the study group. PO losses of 20.89%, 30.39%, and 40.26% were found between the first and second, first and third, and first and fourth applications, respectively. A low transmission loss of the optical fiber was observed in the control measurements (mean PO loss of 1.58% between the first and fourth irradiations). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicated that optical fiber tips need to be cleaved frequently during laser curettage to minimize PO loss.

Evaluation of the effect of the GaAlAs laser on subgingival scaling and root planing.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the auxiliary effect of the low-intensity laser in subgingival scaling and root planing by analysis of its clinical aspects, as well as its analgesic potential during the procedure. BACKGROUND DATA: Despite the large number of studies conducted on low-intensity laser energy, few clinical studies are available on periodontics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten patients were selected and submitted to measurement of six sites per tooth, four teeth per hemiarch (960 sites in all). All patients then received subgingival scaling and root planing. Besides periodontal treatment, the test side was also submitted to laser application. The analysis comprised measurement of probing depth, clinical attachment level, and gingival index. Laser energy was applied at a wavelength of 780 nm (35 J/cm(2), 70 mW, 20 sec per site) for preoperative analgesia, and scaling and root planing were performed with application of laser energy at a wavelength of 780 nm (35 J/cm(2), 70 mW, 20 sec) for analgesia, and at a wavelength of 630 nm (8.8 J/cm(2), 35 mW, 10 sec) for healing. The patients filled out a visual analogue scale to assess the pain they felt during the procedure. After 24 and 48 h, the laser was again applied at the wavelength of 630 nm, and the patients were re-evaluated after 3 d. RESULTS: There was a reduction in gingival inflammation, yet without a statistically significant difference between the study and control sides, both in clinical aspects and evaluation of pain during the procedure. CONCLUSION: Utilization of the diode laser as an auxiliary in subgingival scaling and root planing did not provide any apparent clinical benefit for teeth with shallow to moderate pockets.

Short-term clinical and immunologic effects of scaling and root planing with Er:YAG laser in chronic periodontitis.

BACKGROUND: Recently, the erbium-doped:yttrium, aluminum, and garnet (Er:YAG) laser has been used for periodontal therapy. This study compared Er:YAG laser irradiation (100 mJ/pulse, 10 Hz, 12.9 J/cm(2)) with or without conventional scaling and root planing (SRP) to SRP only for the treatment of periodontal pockets affected with chronic periodontitis. METHODS: Twenty-one subjects with pockets from 5 to 9 mm in non-adjacent sites were studied. In a split-mouth design, each site was randomly allocated to a treatment group: SRP and laser (SRPL), laser only (L), SRP only (SRP), or no treatment (C). The plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), bleeding on probing (BOP), and interleukin (IL)-1beta levels in crevicular fluid were evaluated at baseline and at 12 and 30 days postoperatively, whereas probing depth (PD), gingival recession (GR), and clinical attachment level (CAL) were evaluated at baseline and 30 days after treatment. A statistical analysis was conducted (P <0.05). RESULTS: Twelve days postoperatively, the PI decreased for SRPL and SRP groups (P <0.05); the GI increased for L, SRP, and C groups but decreased for the SRPL group (P <0.05); and BOP decreased for SRPL, L, and SRP groups (P <0.01). Thirty days postoperatively, BOP decreased for treated groups and was lower than the C group (P <0.05). PD decreased in treated groups (P <0.001), and differences were found between SRPL and C groups (P <0.05). CAL gain was significant only for the SRP group (P <0.01). GR increased for SRPL and L groups (P <0.05). No difference in IL-1beta was detected among groups and periods. CONCLUSION: Er:YAG laser irradiation may be used as an adjunctive aid for the treatment of periodontal pockets, although a significant CAL gain was observed with SRP alone and not with laser treatment.

Temperature variation at soft periodontal and rat bone tissues during a medium-power diode laser exposure.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate temperature variation induced by a diode laser in periodontal repair. BACKGROUND DATA: A diode laser operating with medium power can constitute an alternative device for bacterial reduction at periodontal pockets. This procedure will probably avoid any kind of undesirable thermal damage to the irradiated tissues. METHODS: The temperature variation induced by a 810-nm diode laser was investigated in an in vitro study, varying the soft tissue thickness, and in an in vivo study for soft periodontal and bone tissues. The laser powers used were 600 mW, 800 mW, 1.0 W, and 1.2 W, and the light was delivered by a 300-microm fiber. RESULTS: The laser parameters and irradiation time used did not induce a temperature variation high enough to cause thermal irreversible damage to the periodontal tissues investigated. CONCLUSIONS: This study contributes to the establishment of thermally safe working parameters of a diode medium power laser.