Objective: The aims of this study were (1) to conduct a literature search and systematically evaluate the additional therapeutic effects of pulsed Nd:YAG or diode laser use in patients with periodontitis, (2) to assess evidence supporting the additional benefit of laser-mediated periodontal treatment in conjunction with scaling and root planning (SRP) (not as monotherapy), and (3) to interpret the evidence presented in retrieved publications.
Background data: Opinions about the additional use of diode lasers in the nonsurgical treatment of plaque-induced periodontal lesions are conflicting. The April 2011 American Academy of Periodontology's "Statement on the Efficacy of Lasers in the Non-Surgical Treatment of Inflammatory Periodontal Disease" asserted that the use of a laser as monotherapy or in addition to nonsurgical periodontal instrumentation conveyed no advantage.
Methods: After initial screening, 23/77 potentially relevant articles and abstracts identified through electronic and manual searches of the MEDLINE(®)/PubMed database and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (1990-2012) were included in this review.
Results: A meta-analysis could be performed. The results indicate that Nd:YAG or diode laser, used in an adjunctive capacity to SRP, may provide some additional benefit, in 6 month studies, compared with mechanical debridement.
Conclusions: The results show the adjunctive benefits that diode laser treatment can provide when it is used as an adjunct to nonsurgical periodontal treatment in adults with chronic periodontitis. Further long-term, well-designed, parallel randomized clinical trials are needed to assess the effectiveness of the adjunctive use of the diode laser, as well as the appropriate dosimetry and laser settings.