Abstract
Background: The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) on clinical periodontal and immunological parameters in obese patients with chronic periodontitis (CP).
Methods: Fifty-three obese with CP patients were divided into 2 groups receiving aPDT with SRP and SRP only respectively. Full-mouth plaque index (PI), bleeding on probing (BOP), pocket depth (PD) and clinical attachment level (CAL) were assessed at baseline, 6 and 12 weeks post-therapy. Gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin (IL)-6 were evaluated using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay at baseline and 12 weeks.
Results: There was a significant improvement in all periodontal variables in both study groups at 6 weeks and 12 weeks with respect to the baseline visit (p < 0.001). Significant reduction in PD of 4-6 rum and >= 7 mm was observed for aPDT group as compared to SRP group (p < 0.01) at both 6 weeks and 12 weeks of follow-up. At 6 weeks, a significant (p < 0.001) gain in CAL was observed in both groups, which remained stable at 12 weeks. IL-6 and TNF-alpha levels decreased significantly (p = 0.001) at 12 weeks after therapy in both the groups. Intergroup comparison showed significant difference for TNF-a (p = 0.024) and IL-6 (p = 0.044) levels for aPDT group at 12 week follow-up.
Conclusion: Within the limits of this clinical trial, adjunctive aPDT showed improvement in clinical and immunological parameters in obese patients with CP. Antimicrobial PDT showed additional benefit in moderate and deep periodontal pockets in obese patients with CP.