This study aimed to investigate the influence of low-power 830 nm gallium-aluminium-arsenide (GaAlAs) laser [continuous wave (CW) 40 mW and fluence 4 J/cm(2), with total energy density of 16 J/cm(2)] on the healing of human infra-bony defects treated with bioactive glass graft material. Twenty patients with chronic periodontitis and bilateral infra-bony defects were included. Using a split mouth design, we treated 20 defects with bioactive glass plus laser irradiation during surgical procedures and on days 3, 5, 7 postoperatively; 20 contra-lateral defects were treated with bioactive glass only. Clinical probing pocket depths, clinical attachment levels and standardized periapical radiographs were recorded at baseline and at 3 months and 6 months postoperatively. At 3 months there was a statistically significant difference between the laser and non-laser sites in the parameters investigated. However, at 6 months, no difference was observed. Our results have confirmed the positive effect of soft laser in accelerating periodontal wound healing.

This study aimed to investigate the influence of low-power gallium-aluminium-arsenide (GaAlAs) laser [830 nm, continuous wave (CW), 40 mW and fluence 4 J/cm(2)] on the healing of surgically created bone defects in rats treated with bioactive glass graft material. Surgical bone defects were created in the mandibles of 36 Wistar rats divided into two groups, each consisting of 18 rats. Group I was treated with bioactive glass plus laser irradiation. Group II was treated with graft material only. The animals were killed at 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks postoperatively for histological examination. Laser irradiation had significantly accelerated bone healing at 4 weeks and 8 weeks in comparison with that at the sites not irradiated. However at 12 weeks, complete healing of the defects had occurred with no difference detected. Our results have confirmed the positive effect of soft laser in accelerating bone regeneration.