Photodynamic therapy added to standard non-surgical periodontitis treatment
Official title: Effect of Photodynamic Therapy as an Adjunct to Non-Surgical Treatment of Periodontitis
Run by Egas Moniz - Cooperativa de Ensino Superior, CRL · NCT07070453 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial will test whether adding photodynamic therapy to standard scaling and root planing helps adults with periodontitis eliminate bacteria and improve gum healing more than mechanical treatment alone.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 20 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Egas Moniz - Cooperativa de Ensino Superior, CRL Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Almada, Monte Da Caparica and 1 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | April 8, 2025 |
| Main results expected | September 30, 2025 |
| Study ends | November 30, 2025 |
| Registry record updated | July 17, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT07070453 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are adults (≥18 years) with periodontitis per EFP/AAP 2018 criteria who have at least 10 teeth and have not had recent periodontal treatment, antibiotics, NSAIDs, or antimicrobial mouthwash, and who are not diabetic or pregnant.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with diabetes, recent periodontal therapy or antibiotic use, pockets deeper than 10 mm, grade III tooth mobility, pregnancy or breastfeeding, or other exclusion criteria are unlikely to be eligible and may not benefit from this protocol.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This single-center interventional trial adds antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (PDT)—a light-activated photosensitizer treatment—to conventional non-surgical periodontal therapy (scaling and root planing, SRP). Participants are adults diagnosed with periodontitis who meet EFP/AAP 2018 criteria and have at least 10 teeth, and those with recent antibiotics, diabetes, pregnancy, or other exclusions are not eligible. The approach compares clinical periodontal outcomes and bacterial control after SRP alone versus SRP plus PDT to see if adjunctive PDT provides additional benefit. Treatments are delivered at the Egas Moniz School of Health and Science site in Almada/Monte da Caparica, Portugal, with follow-up visits to monitor pocket depths, inflammation, and safety.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, adding PDT to standard care could improve bacterial reduction and clinical periodontal outcomes such as pocket depth and inflammation compared with SRP alone.
How similar studies have gone: Previous randomized trials and meta-analyses of adjunctive PDT in periodontitis have shown mixed but often modest improvements over SRP alone, so the approach is promising but not yet uniformly proven.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients aged 18 years or older with periodontitis diagnosed according to EFP/APA 2018 criteria and with at least 10 teeth in the mouth. Exclusion Criteria: * Periodontal treatment in the previous six months; use of antibiotics, NSAIDs or immunosuppressants in the previous six months; acute oral infection; pregnant or breastfeeding women; teeth with grade III mobility; pockets with PD \> 10 mm; use of antimicrobial mouthwash in the previous two months; patients with diabetes mellitus.
Where it's running
-
Egas Moniz School of Health and Science
Almada, Monte Da Caparica, Portugal Recruiting -
Egas Moniz School of Health and Science
Almada, Monte Da Caparica, Portugal Active not recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Ricardo Dr. Alves, phd — Egas Moniz School of Science and Health
- Study coordinator: Filipa Sousa, Master
- Email: filipampsousa@gmail.com
- Phone: 00351 915028912
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.