Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy: from the Bench to the Clinics
by Alessandra Nara de Souza Rastelli,
Prof, DDS, PhD
Abstract
Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy has been claimed as a promising therapeutic strategy to inactivate oral microorganisms. aPDT is a therapy based on the combination of a non-toxic photosensitizer and an appropriate visible or invisible light, which in the presence of oxygen is activated to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS). These reactive oxygen species induce a series of photochemical and biological events that cause irreversible damage leading to the death of microorganisms. In dentistry, aPDT can be used to control the biofilms related to the dental caries, periodontal and peri-implant diseases, endodontic conditions, simplex herpes and candida disinfection, wound healing and oral lichen planus. Thus, the goal of this talk is to summarize the results of the research on aPDT in dentistry from the in vitro studies to the clinical application.