title: Clinical and microbiological evaluation of high intensity diode laser adjutant to non-surgical periodontal treatment: a 6-month clinical trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This randomized split-mouth clinical trial was designed to evaluate the efficacy of scaling and root planing associated to the high-intensity diode laser on periodontal therapy by means of clinical parameters and microbial reduction.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 36 chronic periodontitis subjects, of both genders, were selected. One pair of contralateral single-rooted teeth with pocket depth >5 mm was chosen from each subject. All patients received non-surgical periodontal treatment, after which the experimental teeth were designated to either test or control groups. Both teeth received scaling, root planing and coronal polishing (SRP) and teeth assigned to the test group (SRP + DL) were irradiated with the 808 ± 5 nm diode laser, for 20 s, in two isolated appointments, 1 week apart. The laser was used in the continuous mode, with 1.5 W and power density of 1,193.7 W/cm(2). Clinical and microbiological data were collected at baseline, 6 weeks and 6 months after therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant improvement of all the clinical parameters-clinical attachment level (CAL), probing depth (PD), plaque index (PI) and Bleeding on Probing (BOP)-for both groups (P < 0.001), with no statistical difference between them at the 6 weeks and the 6 months examinations. As for microbiological analysis, a significant reduction after 6 weeks (P > 0.05) was observed as far as colony forming units (CFU) is concerned, for both groups. As for black-pigmented bacteria, a significant reduction was observed in both groups after 6 months. However, the difference between test and control groups was not significant. There was no association between group and presence of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans at any time of the study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After 6 months of evaluation, the high-intensity diode laser has not shown any additional benefits to the conventional periodontal treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high intensity diode laser did not provide additional benefits to non-surgical periodontal treatment. More studies are necessary to prove the actual need of this type of laser in the periodontal clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, Discipline of Periodontics, School of Dentistry at the University of São Paulo (USP), Av Prof Lineu Prestes 2227, CEP 05508-900. Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, Brazil. vanessatubero@gmail.com
authors.forename: Vanessa Tubero
authors.initials: VT
authors.lastname: Euzebio Alves
authors.forename: Ana Karina Pinto
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: de Andrade
authors.forename: Janaita Maria
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Toaliar
authors.forename: Marina Clemente
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Conde
authors.forename: Denise Maria
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Zezell
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Claudio Mendes
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Pannuti
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Micheli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016976:Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans / Q000302:isolation & purification; D058491:Bacterial Load / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D055113:Chronic Periodontitis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D003777:Dental Prophylaxis / Q000379:methods; D012534:Dental Scaling / Q000379:methods*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D054023:Lasers, Semiconductor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017622:Periodontal Attachment Loss / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy; D016966:Porphyromonas gingivalis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018713:Prevotella intermedia / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016745:Root Planing / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome