The Effect of Photodynamic Therapy on Plaque in Orthodontic Patients

This randomized controlled trial will be conducted on 40 orthodontic patients at the Department of Orthodontics, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Croatia. Respondents will be randomly allocated into 4 groups (n=10). The first group will receive photodynamic therapy, the second tricalcium phosphate varnish with 5% NaF (sodium fluoride), the third 1% chlorhexidine varnish, while the fourth group will be the negative control. Before and after the mentioned interventions, the participants will have the amount of plaque measured using the plaque index and the bacteriological composition of the plaque assessed using the mass spectrometry and PCR. The gingival condition will be assessed using the gingival index. Also, the occurrence of white spot lesions will be evaluated on intraoral photographs.