[A short-term clinical evaluation of periodontal treatment with an Er:YAG laser for patients with chronic periodontitis: a split-mouth controlled study].

Objective: To compare the short-term clinical effects following non-surgical periodontal treatment with Er:YAG laser or with combination of ultrasonic subgingival scaling and root planing with hand instrument (SRP) for patients with chronic periodontitis.
Methods: In the study, 17 patients with chronic periodontitis were randomly treated in a split-mouth design with Er:YAG laser (test group) or a combination of ultrasonic subgingival scaling and root planing with hand instrument (control group). The degree of discomfort experienced during the treatment was graded by the patient using visual analogue scale (VAS) immediately after the completion of test and control treatment procedures. The following clinical parameters were recorded by a calibrated and blinded examiner: plaque index (PLI), bleeding index (BI), probing depth (PD) and attachment loss (AL).
Results: The mean VAS score of Er:YAG laser treatment [3 (2, 4.5)] was significantly lower than that of control treatment [5 (4, 6), P=0.013]. Both the groups showed significant reduction of PLI, PD, AL and BI values 2 months and 4 months after treatment. For sites with PD≥4 mm at baseline, the sites treated with Er:YAG laser demonstrated mean PD change from (5.6±1.1) mm to (3.6±1.1) mm and to (3.4±1.0) mm at the end of 2 months and 4 months respectively and demonstrated mean AL change from (5.1±1.5) mm to (3.9±1.6) mm and to (3.8±1.7) mm at the end of 2 months and 4 months respectively, meanwhile the BI value showed significant decrease, P=0.000; the sites treated with conventional SRP demonstrated mean PD change from (5.6±1.1) mm to (3.8±1.1) mm and (3.5± 1.0) mm at the end of 2 months and 4 months respectively and demonstrated mean AL change from (4.8±1.6) mm to (3.8±1.6) mm and (3.6±1.8) mm at the end of 2 months and 4 months respectively, and the BI value also showed significant improvement. No statistical difference for all clinical parameters were found between the two treatment groups.
Conclusion: The present results indicate that non-surgical periodontal therapy with Er:YAG laser is safe and effective, and Er:YAG laser therapy could be used for patients who was sensitive to pain.