Randomized controlled clinical effectiveness of adjunct 660-nm light-emitting diode irradiation during non-surgical periodontal therapy

Background/purpose The irradiation of 660-nm light-emitting diodes (LEDs) has exhibited potential to accelerate oral wound healing and prevent periodontal breakdown in rodents. This study was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of 660-nm LEDs during non-surgical periodontal therapy (NSPT). Methods Nineteen patients with at least one periodontitis-involved tooth in three quadrants received NSPT, and three protocols of LED light irradiation, including LED light irradiation from initial clinical assessment (T0) until the completion of scaling and root planning (T1) (LED01), LED light irradiation from T1 until re-evaluation (T2) (LED02), and no LED light irradiation (control treatment), were randomly assigned to respective quadrant. Clinical parameters were assessed at T0 and T2, and such biomarkers as IL-1β and MMP-8 from gingival crevicular fluid were assessed at T0, T1, and T2. Results At T2, all examined sites exhibited significantly reduced probing pocket depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), gingival bleeding index, plaque score, and visual analog scale. In the sites with greatest initial PD and CAL, LED01 and LED02 significantly reduced PD and CAL compared with the control treatment. IL-1β and MMP-8 were reduced in all groups at T1 and T2, and the reduction of MMP-8 was the most notable in LED01. Conclusion LED light irradiation during or after scaling and root planing assisted in the recovery of periodontium and can be used as an adjunct treatment during NSPT, specifically for sites with severe periodontal breakdown.