Evaluation of the clinical and antimicrobial effects of the Er:YAG laser or topical gaseous ozone as adjuncts to initial periodontal therapy. Clinical and microbiological evaluation of high intensity diode laser adjutant to non-surgical periodontal treatment: a 6-month clinical trial Relieving pain in minor aphthous stomatitis by a single session of non-thermal carbon dioxide laser irradiation Clinical effectiveness of diode laser therapy as an adjunct to non-surgical periodontal treatment: a randomized clinical study. Effect of adjunctive low level laser therapy (LLLT) on nonsurgical treatment of chronic periodontitis. Treatment of periodontal pockets with a diode laser. Lack of adjunctive benefit of Er:YAG laser in non-surgical periodontal treatment: a randomized split-mouth clinical trial. Short-term clinical and osteoimmunological effects of scaling and root planing complemented by simple or repeated laser phototherapy in chronic periodontitis Er:YAG laser versus systemic metronidazole as an adjunct to nonsurgical periodontal therapy: a clinical and microbiological study. Clinical and microbiological evaluation of the effectiveness of the Nd:Yap laser for the initial treatment of adult periodontitis. A randomized controlled study. Non-surgical periodontal therapy assisted by potassium–titanyl–phosphate laser: a pilot study Total calculus removal: an attainable objective? Clinical performance of a new laser fluorescence device for detection of occlusal caries lesions in permanent molars. Adjunctive Nd:YAG laser application in chronic periodontitis: clinical, immunological, and microbiological aspects The short-term effects of low-level lasers as adjunct therapy in the treatment of periodontal inflammation. Clinical and radiographic investigation of the adjunctive effects of a low-power He-Ne laser in the treatment of moderate to advanced periodontal disease: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and microbiological results of treatment with the Er : YAG laser and topical gaseous ozone application as adjuncts to initial periodontal therapy in chronic periodontitis ( CP ) patients . BACKGROUND DATA Although many studies have evaluated the effectiveness of the Er : YAG laser as an adjunct to initial periodontal therapy , few studies have focused on the use of gaseous ozone as an adjunct . MATERIAL S AND METHODS Thirty patients with CP were r and omly divided into three parallel groups , each composed of 10 individuals with at least four teeth having at least one approximal site with a probing depth ( PD ) of ≥5 mm and a sulcus bleeding index ( SBI ) ≥2 in each quadrant . Groups of patients received : ( 1 ) Scaling and root planing (SRP)+Er : YAG laser ; ( 2 ) SRP+topical gaseous ozone ; or ( 3 ) SRP alone . The microbiological and clinical parameters were monitored at day 0 and day 90 . RESULTS At the end of the observation period , statistically significant improvements in clinical parameters were observed within each group . Parallel to the clinical changes , all treatments reduced the number of total bacteria and the proportion of obligately anaerobic microorganisms . Although intergroup comparisons of microbiological parameters showed no significant differences , clinical findings , including attachment gain and PD reduction , were found to be statistically significant in favor of the SRP+Er : YAG laser group . CONCLUSIONS Although statistically nonsignificant , the fact that the obligate anaerobic change was mostly observed in the SRP+Er : YAG laser group , and a similar decrease was noted in the SRP+topical gaseous ozone group , shows that ozone has an antimicrobial effect equivalent to that of the Er : YAG laser Objectives This r and omized split-mouth clinical trial was design ed 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 . Material s 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 design ated 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/cm2 . 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 This r and omized controlled clinical trial was design ed to evaluate the efficacy of single-session , non-thermal , carbon dioxide ( CO2 ) laser irradiation in relieving the pain of minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis ( miRAS ) as a prototype of painful oral ulcers . Fifteen patients , each with two discrete aphthous ulcers , were included . One of the ulcers was r and omly allocated to be treated with CO2 laser ( 1 W of power in de-focused continuous mode ) and the other one served as a placebo . Before laser irradiation , a layer of transparent , non-anesthetic gel was placed on both the laser lesions and the placebo lesions . The patients were requested to grade their pain on a visual analog scale up to 96 h post-operatively . The reduction in pain scores was significantly greater in the laser group than in the placebo group . The procedure itself was not painful , so anesthesia was not required . Powermetry revealed the CO2 laser power to be 2–5 mW after passing through the gel , which caused no significant temperature rise or any visual effect of damage to the oral mucosa . Our results showed that a low-intensity , non-thermal , single-session of CO2 laser irradiation  reduced pain in miRAS immediately and dramatically , with no visible side effects BACKGROUND The aim of this r and omized clinical study is to evaluate the effect of a 980-nm diode laser as an adjunct to scaling and root planing ( SRP ) treatment . METHODS Thirty-five patients with chronic periodontitis were selected for the split-mouth clinical study . SRP was performed using a sonic device and h and instruments . Quadrants were equally divided between the right and left sides . Teeth were treated with SRP in two control quadrants ( control groups [ CG ] ) , and the diode laser was used adjunctively with SRP in contralateral quadrants ( laser groups [ LG ] ) . Diode laser therapy was applied to periodontal pockets on days 1 , 3 , and 7 after SRP . Baseline data , including approximal plaque index ( API ) , bleeding on probing ( BOP ) , probing depth ( PD ) , and clinical attachment level ( CAL ) , were recorded before the treatment and 6 and 18 weeks after treatment . Changes in PD and CAL were analyzed separately for initially moderate ( 4 to 6 mm ) and deep ( 7 to 10 mm ) pockets . RESULTS The results were similar for both groups in terms of API , BOP , PD in deep pockets , and CAL . The laser group showed only significant PD gain in moderate pockets during the baseline to 18-week ( P < 0.05 ) and 6- to 18- week ( P < 0.05 ) periods , whereas no difference was found between LG and CG in the remaining clinical parameters ( P > 0.05 ) . CONCLUSION The present study indicates that , compared to SRP alone , multiple adjunctive applications of a 980-nm diode laser with SRP showed PD improvements only in moderate periodontal pockets ( 4 to 6 mm ) OBJECTIVE The aim of this split-mouth , double blinded , short-term , controlled clinical trial was to study the effect of low-level laser therapy ( LLLT ) as an adjunct to scaling and root planing ( SRP ) for treatment of chronic periodontitis . BACKGROUND DATA LLLT is reported to improve the outcome of traditional SRP , but the evidence is still weak . MATERIAL S AND METHODS Sixteen patients with a probing pocket depth ( PPD ) of 4 - 6 mm involving at least three teeth in each quadrant were recruited for the study . Afterwards , SRP quadrants were r and omly assigned for 10 sessions of LLLT . RESULTS Results showed that when compared to sites treated with SRP alone , those treated with SRP+LLLT ( 10 sessions , 830 nm , 100 mW , 3 J per point , 3 J/cm(2 ) ) exhibited greater reductions in PPD at 5 weeks and 3 months but not at 6 months . Further , SRP+LLLT-treated sites had a statistically significant increase in mean radiographic bone density when comparing 6- and 12-month data and overall from baseline to 12 months . There was a trend to reduce interleukin (IL)-1β but the difference between control and laser sites was not statistically significant . CONCLUSIONS SRP combined with LLLT  improved radiographic bone density and short-term PPD reduction in patients with chronic periodontitis , but did not significantly affect either the gingival crevicular fluid of IL-1β or the gingival or plaque index BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to examine the long-term effect of diode laser therapy on periodontal pockets with regard to its bactericidal abilities and the improvement of periodontal condition . STUDY DESIGN / MATERIAL S AND METHODS Fifty patients were r and omly subdivided into two groups ( laser-group  and  control-group ) and microbiologic sample s were collected . There have been six appointments for 6 months following an exact treatment scheme . After evaluating periodontal indices ( bleeding on probing , Quigley-Hein ) including pocket depths and instruction of patients in oral hygiene and scaling therapy of all patients , the deepest pockets of each quadrant of the laser-group 's patients were microbiologically examined . Afterwards , all teeth were treated with the diode laser . The control-group received the same treatment but instead of laser therapy were rinsed with H2O2 . Each appointment also included a hygienic check-up . After 6 months the final values of the periodontal indices and further microbiologic sample s were measured . The total bacterial count as well as specific bacteria , such as Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans , Prevotella intermedia , and Porphyromonas gingivalis , were assessed semiquantitatively . RESULTS The bacterial reduction with diode laser therapy was significantly better than in the control group . The index of bleeding on probing improved in 96.9 % in the laser-group , whereas only 66.7 % in the control group . Pocket depths could be more reduced in the laser group than in the control group . CONCLUSION The diode laser reveals a bactericidal effect and helps to reduce inflammation in the periodontal pockets in addition to scaling . The diode laser therapy , in combination with scaling , supports healing of the periodontal pockets through eliminating bacteria AIM This split-mouth , r and omized , clinical trial aim ed to evaluate the efficacy of erbium-doped : yttrium-aluminium-garnet ( Er : YAG ) laser application in non-surgical periodontal treatment . MATERIAL S AND METHODS A total of 27 patients underwent four modalities of non-surgical therapy : supragingival debridement ; scaling and root planing (SRP)+Er : YAG laser ; Er : YAG laser ; and SRP .  Each strategy was r and omly assigned and performed in one of the four quadrants . Clinical outcomes were evaluated at 3 and 6 months . Subjective benefits of patients have been evaluated by means of question naires . RESULTS Six months after therapy , Er : YAG laser showed no statistical difference in clinical attachment gain with respect to supragingival scaling [ 0.15 mm ( 95 % CI -0.16 ; 0.46 ) ] , while SRP showed a greater attachment gain than the supragingival scaling [ 0.37 mm ( 95 % CI 0.05 ; 0.68 ) ] . No difference result ed between Er : YAG laser+SRP and SRP alone [ 0.05 mm ( 95 % CI -0.25 ; 0.36 ) ] . CONCLUSIONS The adjunctive use of Er : YAG laser to conventional SRP did not reveal a more effective result than SRP alone . Furthermore , the sites treated with Er : YAG laser showed similar results of the sites treated with supragingival scaling The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical , anti-inflammatory , and osteoimmunological benefits of the single ( PT ) and repeated laser phototherapy ( rPT ) as an adjunctive treatment of inflamed periodontal tissue . Twenty-seven patients with chronic periodontitis were r and omly divided into three groups of nine patients each in order to undergo scaling and root planing ( SRP ) , SRP followed by one session of adjunctive PT ( Day 1 ; SRP + PT ) , or SRP followed by adjunctive repeated PT five times in 2 weeks ( Days 1 , 2 , 4 , 7 , and 11 ; SRP + rPT ) . For phototherapy session , a diode laser ( λ = 670 nm , 200 mW , 60 s/tooth ) was applied into the sulcus . Clinical parameters , including full-mouth plaque score , full-mouth bleeding score , probing pocket depth , and clinical attachment level were recorded . Sample s of gingival crevicular fluid ( GCF ) were taken at baseline , 4 , and 8 weeks after treatment . Interleukin 1beta ( IL-1β ) , tumor necrosis factor alpha ( TNF-α ) , receptor activator of nuclear factor κΒ lig and ( RANKL ) , and osteoprotegerin ( OPG ) levels in the collected GCF were measured . PT used in a single or repeated doses , does not produce a significant reduction in the clinical parameters essayed ( p > 0.05 ) . Levels of IL-1β in GCF were significantly reduced in SRP + PT and SRP + rPT groups compared with the SRP group ( p < 0.05 ) . However , the SRP + rPT group showed a significant reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α and RANKL/OPG ratio at 4 weeks post-treatment compared with the SRP + PT and SRP groups ( p < 0.05 ) . SRP + PT group also showed a significant reduction in TNF-α and RANKL/OPG ratio at 8 weeks post-treatment compared with the SRP group ( p < 0.05 ) . PT exerts a biostimulative effect on the periodontal tissue . Multiple sessions of PT showed a faster and greater tendency to reduce proinflammatory mediators and RANKL/OPG ratio OBJECTIVE The objective of this r and omized clinical trial was to describe the clinical and microbiological results obtained by treatment with Er : YAG laser and systemic metronidazole used as adjuncts to mechanical subgingival debridement in chronic periodontitis . METHODS Twenty-seven chronic periodontitis ( CP ) patients were r and omly divided into three parallel groups each comprising nine individuals with at least four teeth having at least one approximal site with a probing depth ( PD ) of ≥5 mm and gingival index ( GI ) of ≥2 in each quadrant . Groups of patients received : ( 1 ) Scaling and root planing (SRP)+ Er : YAG laser ( 10 hz , 30 mJ/pulse , 1 min per pocket , apico-coronal direction in parallel paths with 30 degree angle tips , under water irrigation ) , ( 2 ) SRP+ systemic metronidazole , or ( 3 ) SRP alone . In all treatment groups , SRP was performed at 1 week intervals in two sessions . The microbiological and clinical effects of the treatments were evaluated after 90 days . RESULTS At the end of the experimental period , statistically significant improvements in plaque index , GI , PD and attachment level , as well as reductions in the number of total bacteria and proportions of obligately anaerobic microorganisms were observed within each group . Although intergroup comparisons revealed no significant microbiological differences , clinical parameters as attachment gain and PD reduction were found significantly higher in Group 1 compared with the other groups . CONCLUSIONS Within its limits , this study demonstrated the possibility of better resolution of infection with combined SRP+Er : YAG laser treatment . However , microbiological results failed to demonstrate significant advantages of this combination in comparison with SRP alone or SRP+systemic metronidazole BACKGROUND Enhancement of the results obtained by scaling and planing is most often sought by using antimicrobial therapies . Laser beams have been shown to be bactericidal and could possibly target pathogens more effectively and with fewer compliance problems than antiseptic solutions . METHODS Thirty subjects 20 - 60 years old presenting periodontal pockets at least 5 mm deep in each quadrant received initial periodontal treatment . The study had a split-mouth design . The control side ( SRP ) only received scaling and planing , and the test side ( SRP+laser ) was treated by both SRP and Nd : Yap ( yttrium aluminum perovskite doped with neodym ) laser . Clinical conditions were evaluated at day 0 and day 90 using the plaque index , gingival index , bleeding on probing , pocket probing depth , and clinical attachment level . Microbial sampling was also performed on days 0 and 90 , and the presence of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans , Porphyromonas gingivalis , Prevotella intermedia , Tannerella forsythensis , and Treponema denticola was analysed by polymerase chain reaction in a commercial laboratory . Post-operative pain or discomfort was measured by the patient using a linear visual scale . Pearson 's chi-squared test was used to compare bacterial presence . RESULTS There was no statistically significant difference concerning clinical data between test and control groups at baseline . Both treatments enhanced the clinical situation compared to baseline ; however , results were not significantly different between the two groups . T. forsythensis was the organism most numerous in both groups . Though initial treatment diminished the numbers of all the pathogens it did not do so statistically significantly . Differences between test and control groups were very small and bore no significance . Evaluation of the post-operative pain did not reveal any differences between the groups . CONCLUSIONS Scaling and root planing was effective in reducing levels of plaque , inflammation , and bleeding upon probing . No additional advantage was achieved by using the Nd : Yap laser As the American Academy of Periodontology indicates , the treatment of chronic periodontitis should be achieved in the least invasive manner through non-surgical periodontal therapy . However , complete removal of subgingival plaque and calculus is hindered with increasing probing depth ( PD ) and furcation involvement using h and , sonic or ultrasonic instruments . Many authors have suggested that the use of laser as an adjunct to scaling and root planing ( SRP ) might improve the effectiveness of conventional periodontal treatment . The aim of this study was to evaluate potassium – titanyl – phosphate ( KTP ) laser in non-surgical periodontal therapy .  Seven hundred and thirty sites with probing depths of 4–6 mm were involved in the study . The sites were divided into four groups : control ( SRP , chlorhexidine gel 0.5 % ) , group A ( SRP , chlorhexidine gel 0.5 % , three sessions of KTP laser irradiation ) ; group B ( SRP , three sessions of KTP laser irradiation ) and group C ( SRP , irrigation with povidone-iodine 10 % , three sessions of KTP laser irradiation ) . KTP laser was used with the following parameters : output power 0.6 W , time on 10 ms , time off 50 ms , 30 s per irradiation , fluence 19 J/cm2 . All the sites showed improvement in all clinical parameters . Clinical attachment loss ( CAL ) , pocket probing depths ( PPDs ) and bleeding on probing ( BOP ) , especially in the lased groups , showed significant results ( P < 0.001 ) . Our experience showed KTP laser to be a significant help in SRP ; nevertheless , more studies are necessary to confirm our results The primary purpose of this study was to determine if two sessions of scaling and root planing , one using a " closed " approach and the other using an " open " approach , would remove all calculus from teeth with severe periodontal disease . Fourteen teeth ( 8 single-rooted , 6 multi-rooted ) were treated by closed scaling and root planing with an ultrasonic instrument , and 17 others ( 10 single-rooted , 7 multi-rooted ) were treated with h and instruments . After a healing period of 4 to 8 weeks , anesthesia was secured , periodontal flaps were raised , and the teeth were treated a second time using the same instrumentation as before . The teeth were then extracted and prepared for light microscopic evaluation . Twelve of the 14 teeth treated by ultrasonics and 12 of the 17 treated by h and instruments  retained calculus . The two types of instruments had similar scores in the treatment of proximal root surfaces , furcal walls , and furcal summits .  H and instrumentation appeared to be more effective than ultrasonics in removing cementum from proximal surfaces , although this is not based on a formal statistical comparison of the two methods . Neither instrument was effective in removing cementum from the furcal walls or summits . Five r and omly selected blocks containing remaining root structure were deparaffinized and prepared for scanning electron microscopy . One h and -instrumented specimen , which had not shown calculus with light microscopy , displayed calculus at the SEM level . All five specimens displayed residual calculus at either the light microscope , the SEM level , or both . The results of this study indicate that complete removal of calculus from a periodontally diseases root surfaces is rare OBJECTIVES To determine the clinical performance of a laser fluorescence device ( DIAGNOdent pen , KaVo ) to discriminate between different occlusal caries depths ( D(0)-D(1 - 4 ) ; D(0 - 2)-D(3,4 ) ) in permanent molars . METHODS In this prospect i ve , r and omized two-centre- study 120 sound/uncavitated carious sites in 120 patients were measured after visual and radiographic caries assessment . In cases of operative intervention ( n=86 ) , the lesion depths after caries removal were recorded ( reference ) . In cases of preventive intervention ( n=34 ) , the sites were reassessed visually/radiographically after 12 months to verify the status assessed before ( reference ) . The discrimination performance was determined statistically ( Mann-Whitney test , Spearman 's rho coefficient , and areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves ( AUCs ) ) . Sensitivities ( SE ) and specificities ( SP ) were plotted as a function of the measured values and cut-off values for the mentioned thresholds suggested . RESULTS Sound sites ( n=13 ) had significantly minor fluorescence values than carious sites ( n=107 ) ( P<0.0001 ) as had sites with no/enamel caries ( n=63 ) compared to dentinal caries ( n=57 ) . The AUCs for the same discriminations were 0.92 and 0.78 ( P<0.001 ) . For the D(0)-D(1 - 4 ) threshold , a cut-off at a value of 12 ( SE : 0.88 , SP : 0.85 ) and for the D(0 - 2)-D(3,4 ) threshold at 25 ( SE : 0.67 , SP : 0.79 ) can be suggested . A moderate positive correlation between the measurements and the caries depths was calculated ( rho=+0.57 , P=0.01 ) . CONCLUSION Within this study , the device 's discrimination performance for different caries depths was moderate to very good and it may be recommended as adjunct tool in the diagnosis of occlusal caries In recent years , the use of laser radiation has been investigated as an alternative or adjunctive tool to conventional procedures employed in the treatment of periodontal disease . Various beneficial characteristics of Nd : YAG laser radiation , such as hemostatic and bactericidal effects , might lead to improved treatment outcomes . The objective of the present study was to examine the clinical , microbiological , and anti-inflammatory efficacy of Nd : YAG laser periodontal pocket irradiation as an adjunct to scaling and root planing ( SRP ) . Thirty patients with chronic periodontitis ( CP ) were r and omly assigned in parallel groups to receive SRP alone or SRP followed by Nd : YAG laser ( λ = 1,064 nm ) ( SRP+NDL ) . Probing pocket depth ( PPD ) , bleeding on probing ( BOP ) , and plaque index ( PI ) were recorded , and sample s of gingival crevicular fluid ( GCF ) and subgingival microbiota were taken at baseline and post-therapy ( 4 and 8 weeks after treatment ) . The laser therapy was performed 1 day after the SRP procedure . The GCF sample s were analyzed for interleukin-1beta ( IL-1β ) , tumor necrosis factor alpha ( TNF-α ) , and total antioxidative status ( TAS ) . Microbiological sample s were cultured and analyzed for ten bacteria . No statistically significant differences were detected for clinical or microbiological variables  between SRP and SRP+NDL treatments . However , levels of IL-1 β in GCF were significantly lower after SRP+NDL treatment when compared to IL-1 β levels obtained by SRP alone after 4 weeks of treatment . Levels of TNF-α were significantly lower after the SRP+NDL treatment during post-therapy . TAS of GCF increased during post-therapy after the SRP+NDL treatment . However , after SRP alone , it remained constant . In this short-term clinical study Nd : YAG laser radiation in the treatment of CP is showed to be a potential adjunct to conventional SRP OBJECTIVES The aim of this split-mouth , double-blind controlled clinical trial was to study the effects of irradiation with low-level lasers as an adjunctive treatment of inflamed gingival tissue . MATERIAL S AND METHODS Seventeen patients with moderate periodontitis were included . After clinical examination , all teeth were scaled and root planed ( SRP ) . One week after SRP , we took sample s of gingival crevicular fluid ( GCF ) and subgingival plaque . The laser therapy was started 1 week later and continued once a week for 6 weeks . One side of the upper jaw was treated with active laser and the other with a placebo . The test side was treated with two low-level lasers having wavelengths of 635 and 830 nm . The patients then underwent another clinical examination with sampling of GCF and plaque . The GCF sample s were analysed for elastase activity , interleukin-1beta ( IL-1beta ) and metalloproteinase-8 ( MMP-8 ) . We examined the subgingival plaque for 12 bacteria using DNA probes . RESULTS The clinical variables i.e. probing pocket depth , plaque and gingival indices were reduced more on the laser side than on the placebo one ( p<0.01 ) . The decrease in GCF volume was also greater on the laser side , 0 , 12 microl , than on the placebo side , 0.05 microl ( p=0.01 ) . The total amount of MMP-8 increased on the placebo side but was slightly lower on the laser side ( p=0.052 ) . Elastase activity , IL-1beta concentration and the microbiological analyses showed no significant differences between the laser and placebo sides . CONCLUSION Additional treatment with low-level lasers reduced periodontal gingival inflammation OBJECTIVE To evaluate the adjunctive effect of a low-power He-Ne laser in the non-surgical periodontal treatment of patients with moderate to advanced chronic periodontitis . BACKGROUND DATA Laser applications in dental treatment are now more common in the literature . However , limited data are available on the potential effects of the low-power laser as an adjunct to non-surgical periodontal therapy for managing patients with moderate to advanced periodontal disease . MATERIAL S AND METHODS Sixteen patients with probing pocket depth ( PPD ) > or = 5 mm and comparable bone defects on both sides of the mouth were recruited .  Supragingival plaque ( PL ) , bleeding on probing ( BOP ) , PPD , and probing attachment level ( PAL ) were recorded at baseline and at 3 , 6 , 9 , and 12 mo , while gingival crevicular fluid ( GCF ) sample s and st and ardized intra-oral radiographs for digital subtraction radiography were taken at baseline and at 1 , 3 , 6 , 9 , and 12 mo . After non-surgical mechanical periodontal treatment , the test sites were selected r and omly and irradiated with a low-power He-Ne laser ( output power 0.2 mW ) for 10 min for a total of eight times in the first 3-mo period , while the control sites received no additional treatment . RESULTS PL percentage ( 83 - 16 % ) and BOP percentage ( 95 - 34 % ) decreased significantly after 12 mo . Statistically significant changes in reductions of PPD and GCF volume , gain in PAL , and increase in recession were seen in both test and control sites when compared to baseline ( p < 0.05 ) . No statistically significant differences in any clinical parameters or radiographic findings were found between the test and control sites . Changes in GCF volume were significant only at 3 mo in the test sites . CONCLUSION Within the limits of this pilot study , the use of the low-power He-Ne laser as an adjunct to non-surgical periodontal therapy in patients with moderate to advanced chronic periodontitis did not seem to provide additional clinical benefit
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