Clinical and radiographic investigation of the adjunctive effects of a low-power He-Ne laser in the treatment of moderate to advanced periodontal disease: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the adjunctive effect of a low-power He-Ne laser in the non-surgical periodontal treatment of patients with moderate to advanced chronic periodontitis. BACKGROUND DATA Laser applications in dental treatment are now more common in the literature. However, limited data are available on the potential effects of the low-power laser as an adjunct to non-surgical periodontal therapy for managing patients with moderate to advanced periodontal disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS Sixteen patients with probing pocket depth (PPD) > or =5 mm and comparable bone defects on both sides of the mouth were recruited. Supragingival plaque (PL), bleeding on probing (BOP), PPD, and probing attachment level (PAL) were recorded at baseline and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 mo, while gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) samples and standardized intra-oral radiographs for digital subtraction radiography were taken at baseline and at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 mo. After non-surgical mechanical periodontal treatment, the test sites were selected randomly and irradiated with a low-power He-Ne laser (output power 0.2 mW) for 10 min for a total of eight times in the first 3-mo period, while the control sites received no additional treatment. RESULTS PL percentage (83-16%) and BOP percentage (95-34%) decreased significantly after 12 mo. Statistically significant changes in reductions of PPD and GCF volume, gain in PAL, and increase in recession were seen in both test and control sites when compared to baseline (p < 0.05). No statistically significant differences in any clinical parameters or radiographic findings were found between the test and control sites. Changes in GCF volume were significant only at 3 mo in the test sites. CONCLUSION Within the limits of this pilot study, the use of the low-power He-Ne laser as an adjunct to non-surgical periodontal therapy in patients with moderate to advanced chronic periodontitis did not seem to provide additional clinical benefit.