Photodynamic therapy adjuvant to non‐surgical periodontal therapy: Systematic review of randomized clinical trials

• Published in: International journal of dental hygiene Vol. 22; no. 1; pp. 45 - 55
• Main Authors: Souza, Daniel Adrian Silva, Lima Dantas, Juliana Borges, Souto, Camila Silva, Mendonça, Dina Marques, Oliveira, Tiago José Silva, Santos Vianna Néri, Júlia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.02.2024
• Subjects: Anti-Infective Agents; Chronic Periodontitis - drug therapy; Clinical trials; Combined Modality Therapy; Dental Scaling - methods; Gum disease; Humans; low‐level light therapy; Patients; periodontal debridement; periodontal diseases; Periodontal Pocket; Periodontitis; photochemotherapy; Photochemotherapy - methods; Photodynamic therapy; Radiation; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Root Planing; systematic review; periodontal diseases; systematic review; periodontal debridement; low-level light therapy; photochemotherapy
• ISSN: 1601-5029; 1601-5037
• DOI: 10.1111/idh.12759

Objectives To systematically evaluate randomised controlled trials (RCTs) on whether adjuvant application of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) through the technique of irradiation in the external region of the periodontal pocket with optic‐fibre tip offers benefits to scaling and root planning (SRP). Methods Five databases were searched by two independent reviewers according to pre‐specified eligibility criteria up to April 2023. No restrictions regarding date of publication, language and minimum follow‐up period were imposed. The Cochrane Collaboration's Risk of Bias tool (RoB 2.0) was used for quality appraisal and Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation for assessing the certainty of evidence. Results A total of 1388 publications were identified and reviewed for eligibility. Four of them fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The sample consisted of a total of 83 patients with periodontitis. In these, 330 periodontal sites were evaluated. The clinical findings of the majority of the included studies demonstrated that patients who received the association of aPDT + RAR with the protocol evaluated here, obtained clinical results similar to patients who received only the SRP alone. In none of the evaluated RCTs, clinical advantages were observed that would categorise this aPDT protocol as superior to conventional treatment. Conclusion Applying aPDT after SRP with external irradiation of the periodontal pocket does not seem to result in any clinical benefit compared to the use of SRP alone in patients with periodontitis.