Adjunctive use of laser biostimulation with nonsurgical periodontal therapy: a split-mouth, randomized, case-control study in diabetic and nondiabetic periodontitis patients

Background/aim: Laser biostimulation therapy (LBT) is suggested to have positive effects on periodontal healing. This study evaluated LBT with nonsurgical periodontal therapy (NSPT) in diabetes mellitus (DM) and systemic health (SH) conditions. Materials and methods: Thirty periodontitis patients (15 with DM and 15 with SH) were included in the study, which had a split -mouth design, by applying LBT in the mouth of the same systemic condition. Thus, 4 study groups were formed, as 1) NSPT - DM: NSPT alone in DM, 2) NSPT + LBT - DM: NSPT + LBT application in DM, 3) NSPT - SH: NSPT alone in SH, and 4) NSPT + LBT - SH: NSPT + LBT application in SH. NSPT was performed on days 15, 30, 37, 44, 51, 58, and 65. LBT was performed 6 times on days 30, 37, 44, 51, 58, and 65 with an Nd:YAG laser. The plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), bleeding on probing (BOP), probing pocket depth (PPD), and clinical attachment level (CAL) were assessed as the clinical parameters and recorded at baseline and days 30, 37, and 72. Gingival crevicular fluid levels of interleukin 1 beta (IL -1 beta) and IL -10 were evaluated by ELISA as the biochemical parameters at baseline and on days 30, 37, and 72. Results: Clinical parameters had improved in all of the groups on day 72 (p < 0.01). PPD and CAL improved more in the DM group with NSPT and LBT group than in the DM group with NSPT without LBT on day 37 (p < 0.05). IL -1 beta decreased and IL -10 increased in all of the groups on day 72 (p < 0.01). This change was more evident in the DM group with NSPT and LBT than in the DM group with NSPT without LBT on day 7 (p < 0.05). Conclusion: These results revealed the short-term impacts of LBT on periodontal healing, which return to ineffectiveness with repeated irradiation. Therefore, it may be speculated that LBT via the protocol herein may have a short-term antiinflammatory contribution to NSPT, only in impaired healing conditions such as DM.