title: Photodynamic therapy of persistent pockets in maintenance patients-a clinical study.
abstract: The aim of this study was to compare the short-term performance of a session of single photodynamic therapy (PDT) and of a conventional ultrasonic debridement (UST) in persistent pockets of maintenance patients. In a prospective, randomized, controlled, single-blind clinical study, patients with chronic periodontitis with at least two persistent pockets (>4 mm) were enrolled. They were treated either with UST (n = 29) or PDT (n = 25). Clinical and microbiological examinations were performed at baseline and after 3 months. For UST, the mean probing depth was reduced from 5.3 to 4.5 mm (p = <0.001) and for PDT from 5.3 to 4.7 mm (p < 0.001) with no difference between the two treatment modalities. Microbial counts were significantly reduced about 30% to 40% immediately after debridement but returned to baseline values a 3 months irrespective of treatment. PDT is not superior to conventional mechanical treatment of persistent pockets, but it may be a meaningful therapeutic alternative; the clinical effects were too minor to draw a definitive conclusion.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Conservative Dentistry and Periodontology, Unit of Periodontology, School for Dental Medicine, Christian-Albrechts-University, Kiel, Germany. ruehling@konspar.uni-kiel.de
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rühling
authors.forename: Jutta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fanghänel
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Houshmand
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kuhr
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Meisel
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schwahn
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kocher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016976:Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D058491:Bacterial Load; D001439:Bacteroides / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D055113:Chronic Periodontitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016967:Fusobacterium nucleatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005884:Gingival Hemorrhage / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D054023:Lasers, Semiconductor / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017622:Periodontal Attachment Loss / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018713:Prevotella intermedia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D014048:Tolonium Chloride / Q000627:therapeutic use; D048373:Treponema denticola / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D014048:Tolonium Chloride