Narrow Results

We conducted a longitudinal study involving $240$ patients grouped according to the classification of periodontal diseases agreed in the World Workshop by the different groups of specialists gathered there. We proceed to select images of Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) that were used to perform a study of bone density through a precise algorithm allowing an accurate calculation of the fractal dimensions of such images. A detailed anthropometric analysis was also carried out. Our objective was to demonstrate that there exists a direct relationship between either the loss of bone or the changes related to its height and diameter and the variations in bone density. Our results highlight significant differences among the initial and moderate periodontal groups with respect to both the control and the periodontal groups, where patients experience a severe and controlled periodontal disease. We conclude that there is a variation in the architecture of patients with periodontal disease that have an acute component and have not been treated or their treatment is not effective and their bone loss does not slow down.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been commonly used in treating many diseases, such as cancer and infectious diseases. We investigated the different effects of PDT on three main pathogenic bacteria of periodontitis — Prevotella melaninogenica (P.m.), Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.g.) and Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (A.a.). The portable red light-emitting diode (LED) phototherapy device was used to assess the exogenous PDT effects with different light doses and photosensitizer concentrations (Toluidine blue O, TBO). The portable blue LED phototherapy device was used to assess the endogenous PDT effects with the use of endogenous photosensitizers (porphyrin) under different light doses. We found out that both exogenous and endogenous PDT were able to restrict the growth of all the three bacteria significantly. Moreover, the optimal PDT conditions for these bacteria were obtained through this in vitro screening and could guide the clinical PDT on periodontitis.