PHOTODYNMIC THERAPY AND ITS ROLE IN PERIODONTAL THERAPY

Periodontal diseases are a group of inflammatory diseases caused by a specific or group of specific microorganisms which leads to pocket formation, attachment loss, bone destruction and ultimately possible tooth loss. The treatment regimen involves mechanical debridement which may be augmented with antibiotic therapy. Antimicrobial agents used either systemically or locally suppress the periodontal pathogens, thereby enhances the benefits of conventional mechanical therapy. However, the use of antimicrobials is limited by the emergence of resistant microorganisms. This further leads to the invention of various approaches, including the photodynamic therapy. It involves the use of a photoactive dye (photosensitizer), which is activated on exposure to light of a specific wavelength in the presence of oxygen and leads to cell death and destruction of the damaged tissue. Recently, it has emerged as a new perspective in the treatment of periodontal diseases, as it is caused by various microorganisms resistant to the antimicrobial agents available commercially.