title: Laser technology to manage periodontal disease: a valid concept?
abstract: Present day dental lasers can create oral environments conducive for periodontal repair.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  With the bacterial etiology of periodontitis and the resulting host inflammatory reaction, clinicians continue to search for therapeutic modalities to assist in the non-surgical management of periodontal disease. Traditional chairside therapies consist of mechanical debridement with manual and/or ultrasonic instrumentation with the objective of removing calculus, biofilm, and endotoxin from tooth root surfaces. Decreasing the microbial stimuli and associated end products decreases the inflammatory reaction and allows the host an opportunity to regenerate tissue through wound healing. The purpose of this article is to examine whether dental lasers, which have been in use for the past 3 decades, may augment traditional non-surgical periodontal therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Review of research publications related to lasers and non-surgical periodontics with attention focused on systematic studies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Studies utilizing laser technology may demonstrate positive effects on 1) selectively decreasing the biofilm environment, 2) removing calculus deposits and neutralizing endotoxin, 3) removing sulcular epithelium to assist in reattachment and decreased pocket depth, and 4) biostimulation for enhanced wound healing. Comparisons of studies to determine the difference between lasers and their respective effects on the periodontium are difficult to assess due to a wide variation of laser protocols.
authors.affiliation: College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA. Electronic address: SLOW@dental.ufl.edu.
authors.forename: Samuel B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Low
authors.affiliation: College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Angie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mott
mesh_terms: D018441:Biofilms / Q000528:radiation effects; D003728:Dental Calculus / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D054023:Lasers, Semiconductor / Q000627:therapeutic use; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D010514:Periodontal Pocket / Q000532:radiotherapy
keywords: bio-stimulation; dental hygiene; diode laser; laser; non-surgical periodontal debridement; periodontal disease; periodontitis