Laser therapy emerges as a favourable approach for managing stage 3 grade C periodontitis, offering an alternative to systemic antibiotics and addressing challenges like bacterial resistance and recurrence over time, concluded a randomized controlled trial in ‘BMC Oral Health’.

Periodontitis is a condition characterized by microbial activity that damages the supportive structures of teeth, leading to their detachment from the jawbone. The conventional treatment option- Metronidazole Spiramycin combination is effective, but has several systemic side effects.

Laser therapy has become increasingly popular as a complement to scaling and root planing (SRP) with the benefits of being bactericidal and detoxification. This study by Souzy Kamal Anwar and colleagues compared the effectiveness of intra-pocket use of a diode laser (980 nm) versus antibiotics in individuals with stage 3 grade C periodontitis.

Fifty patients with stage 3 grade C periodontitis, were stratified into 2 groups: 1). Test group received SRP + intra-pocket application of a diode laser (980 nm), 2). The control group received SRP + antibiotics (Spiramycin and Metronidazole given systematically). The clinical attachment loss (CAL) and Periodontal pocket depth (PPD) were estimated before treatment and after 4 and 12 weeks. Gingival crevicular fluid was also gathered during these periods and evaluated to expose the count of 2 periodontal pathogens i.e. Porhyromonas gingivalis and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans.

Similar improvements were observed between these groups concerning microbiological and clinical outcomes at 12 weeks compared to before the treatment. However, it is worth mentioning that antibiotic therapy led to bacterial levels flare up at 12 weeks.