Photodynamic Therapy In Periodontics

Microbial biofilms in the oral cavity are involved in the etiology of various oral conditions, including caries, periodontal and endodontic diseases, oral malodor, denture stomatitis, candidiasis and dental implant failures. It is generally recognized that the growth of bacteria in biofilms imparts a substantial decrease in susceptibility to antimicrobial agents compared with cultures grown in suspension . It is therefore not surprising that bacteria growing in dental plaque, a naturally occurring biofilm , display increased resistance to antimicrobial agents. Current treatment techniques involve either periodic mechanical disruption of oral microbial biofilms or maintaining therapeutic concentrations of antimicrobials in the oral cavity, both of which are fraught with limitations. The development of alternative antibacterial therapeutic strategies therefore becomes important in the evolution of methods to control microbial growth in the oral cavity