Short-term clinical outcomes of laser supported periodontal treatment concept using Er,Cr:YSGG (2780nm) and diode (940 nm): a pilot study

Abstract

Backgrounds: Er,Cr:YSGG (2780nm) and diode (940 nm) lasers can be used adjacent to the conventional periodontal treatment as minimally invasive non-surgical devices. Aim: To describe the short-term clinical outcomes by combining Er,Cr:YSGG (2780nm) and diode 940 nm lasers in non-surgical periodontal treatment. Materials and methods: A total of 10 patients with periodontal disease (mild, moderate, severe) – 233 teeth and 677 periodontal pockets ranging from 4 mm to 12 mm – were treated with Er,Cr:YSGG (2780nm) and diode (940 nm) lasers in adjunct to manual and piezoelectric scaling and root planning (SRP). Periodontal parameters such as mean probing depth (PD), mean clinical attachment level (CAL) and mean bleeding on probing (BOP) were evaluated at baseline and 6 months after the laser treatment using an electronic periodontal chart. Results: At baseline, the mean PD was 4.06 ± 1.06 mm, mean CAL was 4.56 ± 1.43 mm, and mean BOP was 43.8 ± 23.84 %. At 6 months after the laser supported periodontal treatments the mean PD was 2.6 ± 0.58 mm (p <0.001), mean CAL was 3.36 ± 1.24 mm (p <0.001) and mean BOP was 17 ± 9.34 % (p <0.001). Also 3 patients showed radiographic signs of bone regeneration. Conclusion: The combination of two laser wavelengths in adjunct to SRP offers significant improvements of periodontal clinical parameters such as PD, CAL and BOP. Keywords: Laser supported periodontal treatment concept, Er,Cr:YSGG and diode 940nm lasers, Scaling and root planning, Minimally invasive non-surgical device