{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,10]],"date-time":"2026-08-10T12:47:40Z","timestamp":1786366060413,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":38,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"14","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,16]],"date-time":"2025-07-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1752624000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) in promoting wound healing after the surgical removal of inferior third molars. Methods: Patients in need of unilateral mandibular third molar extraction were randomly assigned to either a test or control group before surgery. During the test, a photoactive substance activated with laser light (20 mW, 660 nm) was applied to the post-extraction site for 60 s before suturing to promote healing and disinfection. The control group did not receive any laser applications after tooth removal. The probing pocket depth (PPD), bleeding on probing (BOP), plaque index (PI), gingival recession (REC), and levels of clinical attachment loss (CAL) before surgery (T0), 14 days after surgery (T1), and after 3 months after surgery (T2) were evaluated for the adjacent second molar. Post-operative swelling, pain (VAS index), the number of painkillers taken, alveolar probing, and Landry\u2019s healing index were recorded at T1. Results: Sixty-five patients, aged between 14 and 39 years, were assigned randomly to test (n = 32) or control (n = 33) groups. Five dropouts occurred. Post-operative swelling and the VAS index were significantly lower in the test group compared to the control (p = 0.002 and p = 0.04, respectively). All periodontal indexes except recession significantly worsened at T1 in both groups. After three months, a significant improvement for PPD, CAL, and PI was recorded in the test group compared to the control (p = 0.001). Conclusions: According to the results of this study, the use of aPDT seems to have a beneficial effect on post-operative swelling and pain, as well as the plaque index, in the short-term follow-up.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm14145029","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,16]],"date-time":"2025-07-16T10:46:05Z","timestamp":1752662765000},"page":"5029","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["The Effect of Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy on the Healing of the Post-Extraction Socket of the Mandibular Third Molar: A Randomized Clinical Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6466-9825","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alessia","family":"Pardo","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Dentistry and Maxillofacial Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Paediatrics and Gynaecology (DIPSCOMI), University of Verona, Piazzale L.A, Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Maria","family":"Lonardi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dentistry and Maxillofacial Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Paediatrics and Gynaecology (DIPSCOMI), University of Verona, Piazzale L.A, Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9761-4046","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Annarita","family":"Signoriello","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dentistry and Maxillofacial Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Paediatrics and Gynaecology (DIPSCOMI), University of Verona, Piazzale L.A, Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Gianluca","family":"Colapinto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dentistry and Maxillofacial Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Paediatrics and Gynaecology (DIPSCOMI), University of Verona, Piazzale L.A, Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy"},{"name":"Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, Universit\u00e0 degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2354-361X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Funda","family":"Goker","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, Universit\u00e0 degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy"},{"name":"Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Istanbul Ayd\u0131n University, 34295 Istanbul, Turkey"},{"name":"Fondazione IRCCS Ca\u2019 Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8770-5297","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Margherita","family":"Tumedei","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, Universit\u00e0 degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Massimo","family":"Albanese","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dentistry and Maxillofacial Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Paediatrics and Gynaecology (DIPSCOMI), University of Verona, Piazzale L.A, Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7144-0984","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Massimo","family":"Del Fabbro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, Universit\u00e0 degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy"},{"name":"Fondazione IRCCS Ca\u2019 Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,16]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e140","DOI":"10.4317\/medoral.18028","article-title":"Incidence of impacted mandibular and maxillary third molars: A radiographic study in a Southeast Iran population","volume":"18","author":"Hashemipour","year":"2013","journal-title":"Med. 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