title: Effect of adjunctive low level laser therapy (LLLT) on nonsurgical treatment of chronic periodontitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this split-mouth, double blinded, short-term, controlled clinical trial was to study the effect of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) for treatment of chronic periodontitis.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  LLLT is reported to improve the outcome of traditional SRP, but the evidence is still weak.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen patients with a probing pocket depth (PPD) of 4-6 mm involving at least three teeth in each quadrant were recruited for the study. Afterwards, SRP quadrants were randomly assigned for 10 sessions of LLLT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results showed that when compared to sites treated with SRP alone, those treated with SRP+LLLT (10 sessions, 830 nm, 100 mW, 3 J per point, 3 J/cm(2)) exhibited greater reductions in PPD at 5 weeks and 3 months but not at 6 months. Further, SRP+LLLT-treated sites had a statistically significant increase in mean radiographic bone density when comparing 6- and 12-month data and overall from baseline to 12 months. There was a trend to reduce interleukin (IL)-1β but the difference between control and laser sites was not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SRP combined with LLLT improved radiographic bone density and short-term PPD reduction in patients with chronic periodontitis, but did not significantly affect either the gingival crevicular fluid of IL-1β or the gingival or plaque index.
authors.affiliation: Laser Institute, Cairo, Egypt. mona_makhlouf05@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Mona
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Makhlouf
authors.forename: Mushira M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Dahaba
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tunér
authors.forename: Sohair A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Eissa
authors.forename: Tarek A-H
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Harhash
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015519:Bone Density; D055113:Chronic Periodontitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000628:therapy; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D012534:Dental Scaling / Q000379:methods; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010512:Periodontal Index; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011859:Radiography; D012016:Reference Values; D016745:Root Planing / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult