Participants
bleeding, cardiovascular disease, fistula, tooth, diabetes
ACUTE INFECTION, SYSTEMIC DISEASE, BLEEDING, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, PERIODONTITIS, PLAQUE, PATHOLOGY, DIABETES
Patients requiring extraction of maxillary or mandibular molars were recruited. CBCT (NewTom VG, NewTom, Italy) images (voxel size, 0.125 mm; field, 12 × 8 cm; exposure, 5.4 s; energy, 3.6 mA) were taken at baseline. A comprehensive examination was performed to determine whether the following criteria were met.Inclusion criteria:
Molars with periodontitis, periodontal–endodontic lesions, or endodontic pathology without fistula that could not be preserved.Only one extraction bordered by teeth medially and distally.Four intact bony walls with at least 5 mm in height remaining.Implant treatment planned after tooth extraction.No serious systemic disease, such as severe cardiovascular disease or uncontrolled diabetes.Sufficient plaque control and healthy periodontal maintenance (bleeding on probing < 20%, plaque index < 20%).Exclusion criteria:
Patients under the age of 18 years or older than 70 years.Pregnant or lactating women.Patients with acute infection.Patients smoking more than 10 cigarettes/day.Patients taking drugs affecting bone metabolism, such as bisphosphonates, corticosteroids, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, for a long time.In patients with multiple eligible sites, only one tooth site was selected.Once patients were recruited, randomized assignment of treatment modalities was performed by a computer. The allocation information for each participant was placed into an opaque sealed envelope, which was opened by an operator who was not involved in the experiment just after the extraction. The patients were randomly allocated to the laser group or the control group. All patients were instructed to attend 4 visits over a 2-month study period.