Efficacy of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy in endodontics of primary teeth: a scoping review

The objective of this study was to identify, describe and synthesize the data published about the effectiveness of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) in the pulpectomy of primary teeth. A search was conducted in six electronic databases and the gray literature in June and July 2023, without restrictions on language or date of publication. The search strategy included indexed terms (MeSH terms) and your synonyms. Clinical trials, in vitro studies, case reports and retrospective studies that used photodynamic therapy in primary teeth pulpectomies were considered eligible. Among the 1,674 articles retrieved, 15 were included, published between 2014 and 2022, comprising six in vitro studies, five clinical trials, and four case reports. The sample consisted of children aged 2 to 8 years of both sexes, and included 1 to 62 teeth, mostly anterior. In two in vitro studies, the sample was taken from root canals. Most studies used a diode laser, methylene blue, and optical fiber. The pre-irradiation time ranged from 1 to 5 min. All protocols demonstrated microbial reduction before and after using aPDT, with no statistical difference among the groups. Furthermore, six studies demonstrated treatment success. Despite the divergence in methodology and protocols, aPDT is an effective method for reducing microorganisms, and is a promising adjunct treatment in primary teeth pulpectomies.