title: The adjunct effectiveness of diode laser gingivectomy in maintaining periodontal health during orthodontic treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of diode laser gingivectomy as an adjunct to nonsurgical periodontal treatment in the management of periodontal health among patients receiving fixed orthodontic appliance therapy (FOAT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients undergoing FOAT with gingival enlargement were block randomized into two treatment groups. The test group received diode laser gingivectomy (940-nm diode laser, ezlase, Biolase Technology Inc) as an adjunct to nonsurgical periodontal treatment. The control group received nonsurgical periodontal treatment only. For both groups, five periodontal parameters were assessed at baseline, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months: Plaque Index, Gingival Index, bleeding on probing, probing pocket depth, and Gingival Overgrowth Index. Intra- and intergroup variations in the periodontal parameters were determined over time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both groups showed statistically significant improvements in periodontal health over the study period (P < .05). However, significant improvements in periodontal health were evident earlier among the test group subjects (P < .05). The magnitude of improvement in periodontal health compared to baseline was greater in the test group than in the control group for Gingival Overgrowth Index at 1 month (P < .001) and 3 months (P < .05), Gingival Index at 3 months (P < .05) and 6 months (P < .05), and probing pocket depth at 1 month (P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nonsurgical periodontal management with or without the adjunct use of lasers can be effective in the management of gingival health problems among patients receiving FOAT. The adjunctive use of lasers can produce an earlier and greater improvement in gingival health.
authors.affiliation: The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Tony N F
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: To
authors.forename: A Bakr M
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Rabie
authors.forename: Ricky W K
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Colman P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: McGrath
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D005260:Female; D005881:Gingiva / Q000503:physiopathology; D005890:Gingivectomy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D054023:Lasers, Semiconductor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D009971:Orthodontics, Corrective / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult