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Does aPDT reduce bacterial load in endodontic infected teeth? A systematic review and meta-analysis

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Abstract

This systematic review investigated whether antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) after chemomechanical root canal disinfection (CD) yields a greater microbial load reduction than only CD. An electronic literature search was conducted on four databases up to November 2022, with no language or publication date restrictions. Randomized and non-randomized clinical trials were included if participants had a primary endodontic infection in permanent teeth, and if microbial loads before and after using aPDT were compared. Two researchers independently screened titles and abstracts to determine study eligibility. Assessments included risk of bias and methodological quality. This review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42020181783). Eight studies were included in the qualitative analysis, and six were eligible for meta-analysis. In the random effects model, aPDT significantly improved the results of root canal disinfection when compared with standard protocols for cleaning and shaping (p = 0.04, 95% CI -1.72, -0.05). Subgroup analysis suggested that aPDT has a better effect on reducing the load of anaerobic microorganisms (p = 0.003, 95% CI -3.36, -0.69). The use of aPDT as an adjunct to chemomechanical disinfection promotes additional reduction of the microbial load and, therefore, seems to improve the results of root canal treatments in permanent teeth with a primary endodontic infection. However, certainty of evidence should be improved.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate Program in Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Federal University of Rio Grande Do Sul (UFRGS), Ramiro Barcellos, 2492. Santa Cecícila, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    Ramiro Martins Quintana, Roberta Kochenborger Scarparo, Eliseu Aldrighi Münchow, Lucas Siqueira Pinheiro, Cauana Oliva Tavares & Patricia Maria Poli Kopper

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  1. Ramiro Martins Quintana
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Contributions

Ramiro Martins Quintana: Data curation, Formal analysis, Writing—original draft; Roberta Kochenborger Scarparo: Conceptualization, Formal analysis, Writing review & editing; Eliseu Aldrighi Münchow: Formal analysis, Writing review & editing; Lucas Siqueira Pinheiro: Data curation, Writing—original draft Cauana Oliva Tavares: Writing review & editing; Patrícia Maria Poli Kopper: Conceptualization, Formal analysis, supervision, Writing—review & editing.

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Correspondence to Patricia Maria Poli Kopper.

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This systematic review was reported according to the PRISMA Statement and was registered with the PROSPERO under the number CRD42020181783.

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Quintana, R.M., Scarparo, R.K., Münchow, E.A. et al. Does aPDT reduce bacterial load in endodontic infected teeth? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Lasers Med Sci 38, 268 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-023-03938-4

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