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Chronic periodontitis is an infectious disease resulting in inflammation within the supporting tissues of the teeth, progressive attachment and bone loss. The removal of the plaque biofilm and mineralized deposits from the tooth surface are the fundamental aspects of periodontal therapy which is achieved primarily by scaling and root planing (SRP). Since mechanical therapy alone fails to eliminate bacteria that penetrate the connective tissue, the use of adjuncts to SRP has been advocated. There is evidence that local antimicrobials adjunctive to SRP provide additional benefits to the result of periodontal treatment. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is one such approach that combines low level laser light with a photosensitizer that binds to the target cells. In the excited state, photosensitizers react with oxygen in the environment generating reactive oxygen species that cause oxidative damage to target cells. This study has shown a significant reduction in probing depth (PD) and increase in clinical attachment level (CAL) when PDT with methylene blue / malachite green was employed adjunctive to SRP. Thus, PDT can be an alternative modality for management of chronic periodontitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]