title: Role of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy in the treatment of aggressive periodontitis: A systematic review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim was to assess the efficacy of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) in the treatment of aggressive periodontitis (AgP).
  
  
  METHODS
  The addressed focused question was "Is aPDT effective in the treatment of AgP?" MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, ISI Web of knowledge and Google-Scholar databases were searched from 1977 till May 2015 using combinations of the following keywords: antimicrobial; photochemotherapy; photodynamic therapy; photosensitizing agents; AgP; scaling and root-planing (SRP). Reviews, case reports, commentaries, and articles published in languages other than English were excluded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven studies were included. In 5 studies, aPDT was performed as an adjunct to SRP. Laserwavelengths and duration of irradiation ranged between 660-690 nm and 60-120 s, respectively. Laser power output as reported in 2 studies was 75 mW. One study showed significant improvement in periodontal parameters for subjects receiving aPDT as an adjunct to SRP as compared to treatment with SRP alone at follow up. However, comparable periodontal parameters were reported when aPDT as an adjunct to SRP was compared to SRP alone in the treatment of AgP in one study. One study showed comparable outcomes when aPDT was compared to SRP in the treatment of AgP. In two studies, adjunctive antibiotic administration to SRP showed significantly better outcomes when compared to application of adjunctive use of aPDT to SRP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  aPDT is effective as an adjunct to SRP for the management of AgP, however, further randomized clinical trials with well defined control groups are needed in this regard.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthetic Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: fahimvohra@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Fahim
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vohra
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Restorative Dentistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Zohaib
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Akram
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Restorative Dentistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Syarida Hasnur
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Safii
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Restorative Dentistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Rathna Devi
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Vaithilingam
authors.affiliation: Division of General Dentistry, Eastman Institute for Oral Health, University of Rochester, NY 14620, USA.
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghanem
authors.affiliation: Dental Practice, 13 Xenofontos Strt., Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sergis
authors.affiliation: Division of General Dentistry, Eastman Institute for Oral Health, University of Rochester, NY 14620, USA.
authors.forename: Fawad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Javed
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D010520:Aggressive Periodontitis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003777:Dental Prophylaxis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015995:Prevalence; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents
keywords: Aggressive periodontitis; Periodontal; Photochemotherapy; Photodynamic therapy; Photosensitizing agents; disease