dentalblogs.com

This is an interesting article that was posted on the Cerec forum.  I always hear the claim that there have been no studies that support diode laser therapy in the treatment of periodontal disease.

Lasers Surg Med 1998;22(5):302-11

Treatment of periodontal pockets with a diode laser.

Moritz A, Schoop U, Goharkhay K, Schauer P, Doertbudak
O, Wernisch J, Sperr W.

Department of Conservative Dentistry, Dental School of
the University of Vienna, Austria.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to
examine the long-term effect of diode laser therapy on
periodontal pockets with regard to its bactericidal
abilities and the improvement of periodontal
condition. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty
patients were randomly subdivided into two groups
(laser-group and control-group) and microbiologic
samples were collected. There have been six
appointments for 6 months following an exact treatment
scheme. After evaluating periodontal indices (bleeding
on probing, Quigley-Hein) including pocket depths and
instruction of patients in oral hygiene and scaling
therapy of all patients, the deepest pockets of each
quadrant of the laser-group’s patients were
microbiologically examined. Afterwards, all teeth were
treated with the diode laser. The control-group
received the same treatment but instead of laser
therapy were rinsed with H2O2. Each appointment also
included a hygienic check-up. After 6 months the final
values of the periodontal indices and further
microbiologic samples were measured. The total
bacterial count as well as specific bacteria, such as
Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Prevotella
intermedia, and Porphyromonas gingivalis, were
assessed semiquantitatively. RESULTS: The bacterial
reduction with diode laser therapy was significantly
better than in the control group. The index of
bleeding on probing improved in 96.9% in the
laser-group, whereas only 66.7% in the control group.
Pocket depths could be more reduced in the laser group
than in the control group. CONCLUSION: The diode laser
reveals a bactericidal effect and helps to reduce
inflammation in the periodontal pockets in addition to
scaling. The diode laser therapy, in combination with
scaling, supports healing of the periodontal pockets
through eliminating bacteria.