title: Effects of Nd:YAG and CO2 laser treatment and ultrasonic scaling on periodontal pockets of chronic periodontitis patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of Nd:YAG and CO2 laser treatment to that of ultrasonic scaling used as monotherapies by examining clinical parameters, subgingival microflora, and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1beta) in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen patients, each of whom had 2 or more sites with probing depth measuring > 5 mm, were included this clinical trial. The 41 sites were randomly assigned treatment with either Nd:YAG laser alone (n = 14, 100 mj, 20 pps, 2.0 W, 120 seconds), CO2 laser alone (n = 13, 2.0 W, 120 seconds), or ultrasonic scaling alone (n = 14, maximum power, 120 seconds). At baseline and at 1, 4, and 12 weeks, clinical measurements (plaque index, PI; gingival index, GI; probing depth, PD; clinical attachment level, CAL; and bleeding on probing, BOP) were performed and subgingival plaque and GCF sampled. A quantitative analysis of Porphyromonas gingivalis was carried out using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedures. The amounts of IL-1beta were estimated by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Decreased inflammation and PD were observed in all 3 groups after treatment. A microbiological analysis indicated significant decreases in P. gingivalis in the Nd:YAG and scaling groups at 1, 4, and 12 weeks compared to baseline (P < 0.05). The amount of GCF significantly decreased in the Nd:YAG and scaling groups at 12 weeks. The amount of IL-1beta increased in the CO2 group from baseline to 1 week (P < 0.05). The Nd:YAG group tended to show a decrease in IL-1beta from 1 to 12 weeks, although these data were not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that Nd:YAG laser and ultrasonic scaling treatments showed significant improvements regarding the clinical parameters and subgingival microflora compared to the baseline, but no significant difference was observed between the 3 groups.
authors.affiliation: Division of Periodontology, Department of Oral Biological Science, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.forename: Toshikazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nishikata
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okuda
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suda
authors.forename: Kazuko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Orima
authors.forename: Tetsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Kazuhisa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamazaki
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yoshikawa
authors.forename: Hiromasa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshie
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology; D012534:Dental Scaling / Q000379:methods*; D005883:Gingival Crevicular Fluid / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D053685:Laser Therapy; D009354:Neodymium; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000628:therapy*; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy
chemical_list: D007375:Interleukin-1; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D009354:Neodymium