title: Role of Low-Level Laser Therapy as an Adjunct to Initial Periodontal Treatment in Type 2 Diabetic Patients: A Split-Mouth, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this split-mouth clinical trial, we evaluated the clinical benefits of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) as an adjunct to nonsurgical periodontal treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The impaired wound healing seen in diabetic patients may affect the results of periodontal treatment and may require an additional approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 22 chronic periodontitis patients with type 2 DM were included. Applying a split-mouth design, two quadrants were treated with only scaling and root planing (SRP) as the control and those in the other two were treated with SRP + LLLT as the test sites in each patient. An 808 nm GaAlAs diode laser was performed in the test sites at the energy density of 4.46 J/cm2on days 1, 2, and 7 after SRP. Plaque index (PI), probing depth (PD), bleeding on probing (BOP), and clinical attachment level were measured at baseline and again at 1 and 3 months after treatment. Deep periodontal pockets (PD ≥4 mm) were evaluated separately.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Test sites showed significant improvement in PI and BOP in deep pockets at the 1-month follow-up period (p < 0.001 and <0.001, respectively), whereas no difference was found between the control and the test sites in other periodontal parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LLLT during periodontal treatment offered minimal short-term additional benefit in deep pocket healing in patients with type 2 DM.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, Istanbul University , Istanbul, Turkey .
authors.forename: Oya
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Demirturk-Gocgun
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, Istanbul University , Istanbul, Turkey .
authors.forename: Ulku
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Baser
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, Okan University , Istanbul, Turkey .
authors.forename: Gokce
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aykol-Sahin
authors.affiliation: 3 Division of Diabetes, Department of Internal Medicine, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University , Istanbul, Turkey .
authors.forename: Nevin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dinccag
authors.affiliation: 4 Department of Biostatistics, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University , Istanbul, Turkey .
authors.forename: Halim
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Issever
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, Istanbul University , Istanbul, Turkey .
authors.forename: Funda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yalcin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055113:Chronic Periodontitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003646:Debridement / Q000379:methods; D003774:Dental Plaque Index; D012534:Dental Scaling / Q000379:methods; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061214:Patient Safety; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: diabetes mellitus type 2; laser therapy; low level; periodontology