A noninvasive antimicrobial therapy in dentistry: Photodynamic therapy

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) sometime known as photochemotherapy or phototherapy or photoradiation therapy. Basic component of PDT is photoactive dye (photosensitizer) which activates with exposure to light of a specific wavelength in the presence of oxygen(02). After reaction the energy transfer from photosensitizer to available oxygen will transfer the nonnal oxygen to toxic oxygen species such as free radicals and singlet oxygen. This toxic/reactive oxygen can damage many cellular components such as proteins, lipids, nucleic acids and others. Use of PDT is increasing day by day vary rapidly in dentistry as with PDT, diagnosis of malignant lesion, treatment of oral cancer, treatment of bacterial or fungal infection can be done. Some common oral lesion like leukoplakia, oral lichen planus also can be treated with PDT. Genotoxic and mutagenic effects are absent in PDT. Now, the research shows the photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy (PACT) is efficacious in the treatment of bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic infections.