Phototherapeutics in periodontics

The earliest records dealing with human diseases and their treatment make a special mention of periodontal diseases and the necessity for treating them. With the available evidences, the primary role of bacteria in the etiology of periodontal diseases is overt. Treatments have been varied, yet traditional debridement to disrupt the subgingival flora and provide clean, smooth and biologically compatible root surfaces is still the mainstay. Along with the prevailing mechanical therapy, various anti-infective remedies are also being attempted to tackle these microbes. However, there is a growing bacterial resistance to antibiotics, which limits their use in the treatment of periodontal diseases. The above mentioned issues justify the search for alternative adjunctive antibacterial strategy, i.e., use of laser based photodynamic therapy [PDT] so as to achieve efficacious outcome in periodontal and as well as peri-implant diseases.