Systemic and local effects of doxycycline and low-intensity laser treatment on periodontitis in rats.

Purpose: This study evaluated the systemic and local effects of doxycycline (DOX) and low-intensity laser (LIL) treatment as adjuvants to scaling and root planing (SRP) in the treatment of experimental periodontitis in rats.

Methods: The sample consisted of 180 male rats (, Wistar), of which 30 did not receive induction of periodontal disease (negative control [NC] group) and 150 received induction of periodontal disease in the lower first molar. After 7 days, the ligature was removed, and the animals were divided into the following groups: NT (no treatment), SRP (SRP), DOX (SRP and DOX irrigation), LIL (SRP and laser irradiation), and DOX+LIL (SRP, DOX, and LIL).