الفهرس 
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Abstract
The numerous orthodontic components used in orthodontic treatment may be considered as a serious invasion to the oral environment. They impede the maintenance of the oral hygiene encouraging the accumulation of dental plaque and the proliferation of periodontopathic microorganisms which increases the risk of gingivitis and periodontitis. The orthodontic treatment outcomes are usually affected by the patient’s poor oral hygiene impacting the quality of the orthodontic treatment as well as prolonging the treatment’s time. For any orthodontist such conditions are very challenging. Diode laser has shown superior results in combination with conservative periodontal treatment due to its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects as well as its other beneficial effects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of low level laser therapy (LLLT) as an adjunct to mechanical debridement on gingival inflammation induced by fixed orthodontic treatment when compared to mechanical debridement only. A sample of 30 female patients of an age range of 15-25 years was selected for this study. A double-blind, split-mouth, randomized controlled trial was conducted, where four quadrants in each patient for a total of 120 quadrants, were randomly allocated to receive low-level laser or no laser treatments as an adjunct to conservative treatment. All quadrants received supra- and sub-gingival scaling. The laser device (Epic, Biolase) was used in the test quadrants with 940 nm wavelength and 0.5 Watt as power for 6 minutes with a total energy of 180 J on the first, third, and the fifth days. The treatment effects were evaluated both clinically and microbiologically. The collected data were then statistically analyzed to compare the two groups. Data for the bleeding index, plaque index and bacterial counts showed a non-normal distribution. The Mann-Whitney test compared the two groups at different time points and the Friedman test was used to compare the changes within each group overtime. The confidence level was set at 95٪.