**4. Clinical application of photodynamic therapy**

The clinical efficacy of PDT against peri-implantitis has been demonstrated in several clinical studies. In a randomized controlled trial study by Wang et al. [60] it was shown that PDT combined with mechanical debridement significantly improved pocket depth, clinical attachment loss, plaque index and sulcus bleeding index compared with baseline and the control groups in participants with peri-implantitis. Similar results were obtained in a 3 months randomized clinical trial done by Rakasevic et al. [61].

Since the main goal when treating peri-implantitis is to eliminate the bacteria from the soft tissues and the implant surface, in order to create conditions for grafting and re-osseointegration, the use of photodynamic therapy is mostly used as an adjunct therapy during the treatment of peri-implanitits with the purpose of eliminating bacteria from the rough surfaces of the implants. The treatment of periimplantitis can be non-surgical and surgical. During the non-surgical treatment of peri-implantitis the photosensitive dye is applied on the pocket around the infected implant and the light source is applied. This procedure is shown in **Figure 13**.

However, photodynamic therapy is mostly used in conjunction with surgical treatment of peri-implantitis as an adjunct therapy after implantoplasty, mechanical debridement and chemical decontamination of the implant surface. The surgical approach is presented in **Figures 14**–**17**.

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**Figure 16.**

*Application of the photosensitive dye.*

**Figure 14.**

**Figure 15.**

*Implantoplasty procedure.*

*Evaluation of the Antimicrobial Efficacy of Different Types of Photodynamic Therapy…*

*Surgical treatment of peri-implantits. Visible bone resorption around the implants.*

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94268*

**Figure 13.** *(Left) application of the dye. (Right) application of the light source.*

*Evaluation of the Antimicrobial Efficacy of Different Types of Photodynamic Therapy… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94268*

**Figure 14.** *Surgical treatment of peri-implantits. Visible bone resorption around the implants.*

**Figure 15.** *Implantoplasty procedure.*

*Photodynamic Therapy - From Basic Science to Clinical Research*

**4. Clinical application of photodynamic therapy**

approach is presented in **Figures 14**–**17**.

*(Left) application of the dye. (Right) application of the light source.*

The clinical efficacy of PDT against peri-implantitis has been demonstrated in several clinical studies. In a randomized controlled trial study by Wang et al. [60] it was shown that PDT combined with mechanical debridement significantly improved pocket depth, clinical attachment loss, plaque index and sulcus bleeding index compared with baseline and the control groups in participants with peri-implantitis. Similar results were obtained in a 3 months randomized clinical trial done by Rakasevic et al. [61]. Since the main goal when treating peri-implantitis is to eliminate the bacteria from the soft tissues and the implant surface, in order to create conditions for grafting and re-osseointegration, the use of photodynamic therapy is mostly used as an adjunct therapy during the treatment of peri-implanitits with the purpose of eliminating bacteria from the rough surfaces of the implants. The treatment of periimplantitis can be non-surgical and surgical. During the non-surgical treatment of peri-implantitis the photosensitive dye is applied on the pocket around the infected implant and the light source is applied. This procedure is shown in **Figure 13**. However, photodynamic therapy is mostly used in conjunction with surgical treatment of peri-implantitis as an adjunct therapy after implantoplasty, mechanical debridement and chemical decontamination of the implant surface. The surgical

*Zirconia implant treated with PDT2; magnification 1:250 (left). Zirconia implant treated with PDT3;* 

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**Figure 13.**

**Figure 12.**

*magnification 1:250 (right).*

**Figure 16.** *Application of the photosensitive dye.*

**Figure 17.** *Application of the light source.*
