Effects of 980 diode laser treatment combined with scaling and root planing on periodontal pockets in chronic periodontitis patients
Aachen Institute for Laser Dentistry Abstract: Objective: This study compared the effect of 980 Diode laser + scaling and root planing (SRP) versus SRP alone in the treatment of chronic periodontitis. Method: 21 healthy patients with moderate periodontitis with a probing depth of at least 5mm were included in the study. A total of 42 sites were treated during 6weeks with a combination of 980 Diode laser and SRP (21 sites) or SRP alone (21 sites). The gingival index (GI), probing pocket depth (PPD) and bleeding on probing (BOP) were examined at the baseline and after 6 weeks after the start of treatment. Results: Both groups showed statistically significant improvements in GI, BOP and PPD after treatment. The results also showed significant improvement from laser+ SRP group to SRP alone group. Conclusion: The present data suggest that treatment of chronic periodontitis with either 980 Diode laser + SRP or SRP alone results in statistically significant improvements in the clinical parameters. The combination of 980 Diode laser irradiation in the gingival sulcus and SRP, was significantly better as compared to SRP alone. Introduction Periodontal diseases (gingivitis and periodontitis) are chronic bacterial infections, with a remarkably high prevalence and morbidity. Periodontitis, in contrast to gingivitis, is not reversible, is associated with certain bacterial species and affects all of the soft tissue and bone that support teeth. Periodontitis is moderately to rapidly progressive and is clinically diagnosed on the basis of gingival inflammation, pocket formation, loss of gingival attachment, bone resorption and the number of teeth involved. 1 In early stages of periodontitis close curettage with conventional scaling and root planing is used and in more progressive cases the use of open curettage is needed. Conventional treatments are helpful but not adequate enough always for inhibiting the situation not to reach the need of open curettage. In recent years, the...