Background: The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of Er:YAG and diode laser treatments of the root surface on intrapulpal temperature after scaling and root planing with hand instruments.Methods: Fifteen extracted single‐rooted teeth were scaled and root planed with hand instruments. The teeth were divided into 3 groups of 5 each and irradiated on their buccal and lingual surfaces: group A: Er:YAG laser, 2.94 μm/100 mJ/10 Hz/ 30 seconds; group B: diode laser, 810 nm/1.0 W/0.05 ms/30 seconds; group C: diode laser, 810 nm/1.4 W/0.05 ms/30 seconds. The temperature was monitored by means of a type T thermocouple (copper‐constantan) positioned in the pulp chamber to assess pulpal temperature during and before irradiation. Afterwards, the specimens were longitudinally sectioned, and the buccal and lingual surfaces of each root were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy.Results: In the Er:YAG laser group, the thermal analysis revealed an average temperature of −2.2 ± 1.5°C, while in the diode laser groups, temperatures were 1.6 ± 0.8°C at 1.0 W and 3.3 ± 1.0°C at 1.4 W. Electronic micrographs revealed that there were no significant morphological changes, such as charring, melting, or fusion, in any group, although the specimens were found to be more irregular in the Er:YAG laser group.Conclusions: The application of Er:YAG and diode lasers at the utilized parameters did not induce high pulpal temperatures. Root surface irregularities were more pronounced after irradiation with an Er:YAG laser than with a diode laser. J Periodontol 2003;74:838‐843.

Background: The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the healing potential and reosseointegration in ligature‐induced peri‐implantitis defects adjacent to various dental implant surfaces following lethal photosensitization.Methods: A total of 36 dental implants with 4 different surface coatings (9 commercially pure titanium surface [CPTi]; 9 titanium plasma‐sprayed [TPS]; 9 hydroxyapatite [HA]; and 9 acid‐etched [AE]) were inserted in 6 male mongrel dogs 3 months after extraction of mandibular premolars. After a 2‐month period of ligature‐induced peri‐implantitis and 12 months of natural peri‐implantitis progression, only 19 dental implants remained. The dogs underwent surgical debridement of the remaining dental implant sites and lethal photosensitization by combination of toluidine blue O (100 µg/ml) and irradiation with diode laser. All exposed dental implant surfaces and bone craters were meticulously cleaned by mechanical means, submitted to photodynamic therapy, and guided bone regeneration (GBR) using expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) membranes. Five months later, biopsies of the implant sites were dissected and prepared for ground sectioning and analysis.Results: The percentage of bone fill was HA: 48.28 ± 15.00; TPS: 39.54 ± 12.34; AE: 26.88 ± 22.16; and CPTi: 26.70 ± 16.50. The percentage of reosseointegration was TPS: 25.25 ± 11.96; CPTi: 24.91 ± 17.78; AE: 17.30 ± 15.41; and HA: 15.83 ± 9.64.Conclusion: These data suggest that lethal photosensitization may have potential in the treatment of peri‐implantitis. J Periodontol 2003;74:338‐345

There are several studies that evaluate the use of lasers in periodontal treatment in non-surgical or surgical therapy. However, while several studies showed clinically beneficial effects of some lasers in periodontal treatment, there are few clinical reports of additional advantages of lasers as adjunctive treatments in periodontology. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate and critically analyze the level of scientific evidence of effects of low-level lasers and high-power lasers in periodontology. A narrative review of the studies was carried out in each topic and type of laser or periodontal treatment. In nonsurgical periodontal therapy the results showed that there is an additional clinical benefit when using a diode laser (DL) associated with scaling and root planing (SRP) in patients with moderate to severe periodontitis. The Er:YAG laser seems to be the most suitable for nonsurgical periodontal therapy and promotes the same clinical effects as conventional therapy. In periodontal surgery vaporization of the gingival or mucosal tissue can be carried out with DL, CO2, Nd:YAG, Er:YAG and Er,Cr:YSGG lasers. Photobiomodulation (PBM), mediated by low-level lasers associated with non-surgical periodontal therapy, promotes additional benefits in the short term and accelerates the bone and gingival tissue repair process and also reduces postoperative symptoms of periodontal surgery. The effect of antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy is relevant in the initial reevaluation periods. Studies have shown controversial results of the use of lasers in periodontics, and this fact may be due to the lack of standard parameters of irradiation in each clinical application.