Periodontal treatment with combined: mechanical therapy plus low-energy laser irradiation compared to scaling and root planning. A clinical and microbiological spilt mouth study

Abstract

ABSTRACT:
Background: The present study is aimed to describe a six- mouths result on selected microbiological and clinical
parameters obtained by subgingival debridement in periodontitis.
Material and Methods: Thirty patients with moderate to advanced periodontal destruction were treated under local
anesthesia and the quadrants were randomly allocated in a spilt-mouth design to receive one of 2 types of
treatment procedure: 1- Scaling and root planning (SRP) using hand instrument, and 2- Scaling and root planning
(SRP) and then irradiated with (Ga As) infrared diode laser. The selected teeth were assessed for microbiological and
clinical variables. Clinical measurements of plague index (PI), gingival index (GI), bleeding on probing (BOP), probing
depth (PD) gingival recession (GR) and clinical attachment level (CAL) were made prior to and at 3 and 6months
after treatment. Subgingival plague samples were taken at each appointment and analyzed using dark field
microscopy for the presence of cocci, non-motile rods, and spirochetes. Differences in clinical parameters and
prevalence of bacterial species were analyzed using the paired t-test.
Result: The mean value of BOP decreased in the laser group (SRP/L) from 59% at baseline to 20% after 6 month (P<
0.001) and in SRP group from 55% at baseline to 25% after 6 months (p<0.001). The mean value of PD decreased in
the laser group from 5.0 7± ز 0 mm at baseline to 2.9 0.6± mm after 6 months (P < 0.001) and in SRP group from 5.0 to
0.6 mm at baseline to ± 3.3 0. after 6 months (p<0.001). The mean value of the CAL decreased in the laser group from
6.8± 1.0 mm at baseline to 4.5±1.0 mm after 6 months (P < 0.001) and in the SRP group from 6.9 1.0± mm at baseline to
5.4 1.0± after 6 months (P.(0.001>The reduction of the BOP score and the CAL improvement was significantly higher in
the laser group than in the SRP group (P<0.05، P<0.001, respectively). Both groups showed a significant increase of
cocci and non-motile rods and a decrease in the amount of motile rods and spirochetes.
Conclusions: With in the limits of this study soft laser therapy provided additional microbiological and clinical benefits
over conventional mechanical debridement.
Key words: Low energy laser, scaling, periodontal root planning. (J Bagh Coll Dentistry 2008; 20(1) 37-44)