Clinical effectiveness of indocyanine green mediated antimicrobial photodynamic therapy as an adjunct to scaling root planing in treatment of chronic periodontitis- A randomized controlled clinical trial

Background: Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) along with scaling and root planing has been studied for treatment of periodontitis. Various photosensitizers have been utilized for the same. The present study was conducted to assess the clinical efficacy of indocyanine green (ICG), a photosensitizer with better tissue absorption and low toxicity, as an aPDT adjuvant to scaling and root planing (SRP). Method: In the present split-mouth clinical study 29 patients suffering from chronic generalized periodontitis were enrolled. The test and control quadrant were randomly allocated, control quadrant was treated with scaling and root planing alone, while the test group received an adjunctive therapy in the form of ICG, mediated aPDT along with SRP. Clinical parameters such a plaque index (PI), modified sulcular bleeding index (mSBI), periodontal probing depth (PPD) and clinical attachment level(CAL)were recorded at baseline and 3 months. Result: It was observed that there was a significant reduction in PI and mSBI from baseline to 3 months in both the groups, although, the intergroup comparison for both parameters yielded a non-significant result. Whereas a significant improvement in PPD and CAL in ICG group were recorded during the intergroup comparison between test and control group from baseline to 3 months Conclusion: Within the limits of the present study it can be concluded that ICG mediated PDT when used as an adjunct improved the effectiveness of SRP.