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Photodynamic Therapy as an Adjunct to Non‐Surgical Periodontal Treatment: A Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial
Author(s) -
Christodoulides Nicos,
Nikolidakis Dimitris,
Chondros Panagiotis,
Becker Jürgen,
Schwarz Frank,
Rössler Ralf,
Sculean Anton
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of periodontology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.036
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1943-3670
pISSN - 0022-3492
DOI - 10.1902/jop.2008.070652
Subject(s) - adjunct , medicine , photodynamic therapy , randomized controlled trial , dentistry , gingival and periodontal pocket , periodontal surgery , periodontitis , surgery , philosophy , linguistics , chemistry , organic chemistry
Background: Recent preclinical and clinical data have suggested a potential benefit of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in the treatment of periodontitis. However, there are very limited data from controlled clinical trials evaluating the effect of PDT in the treatment of periodontitis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and microbiologic effects of the adjunctive use of PDT to non‐surgical periodontal treatment. Methods: Twenty‐four subjects with chronic periodontitis were randomly treated with scaling and root planing followed by a single episode of PDT (test) or scaling and root planing alone (control). Full‐mouth plaque score (FMPS), full‐mouth bleeding score (FMBS), probing depth (PD), gingival recession, and clinical attachment level (CAL) were measured at baseline and 3 and 6 months after therapy. Primary outcome variables were changes in PD and CAL. Microbiologic evaluation of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (previously Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans ), Porphyromonas gingivali s, Prevotella intermedia , Tannerella forsythia (previously T. forsythensis ), Treponema denticola , Parvimonas micra (previously Peptostreptococcus micros or Micromonas micros ), Fusobacterium nucleatum , Campylobacter rectus , Eubacterium nodatum , Eikenella corroden s, and Capnocytophaga spp. was performed at baseline and 3 and 6 months following therapy by using a commercially available polymerase chain reaction test. Results: At 3 and 6 months after treatment, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups with regard to CAL, PD, FMPS, or microbiologic changes. At 3 and 6 months, a statistically significantly greater improvement in FMBS was found in the test group. Conclusion: The additional application of a single episode of PDT to scaling and root planing failed to result in an additional improvement in terms of PD reduction and CAL gain, but it resulted in a significantly higher reduction in bleeding scores compared to scaling and root planing alone.