Treatment of aphthous ulcers with photodynamic therapy: A randomized controlled clinical study

This study aims to assess whether photodynamic therapy (PDT) offers a clinically effective alternative for treating oral aphthous ulcers, contributing to the ongoing quest for methods to expedite their treatment process amidst the limited understanding of their etiology. The study involved thirty volunteers with aphthous ulcers, split equally between a control group and a PDT group. Patients in the PDT group received laser treatment using Indocyanine green upon admission, while the control group received no intervention. Lesion diameter was measured at presentation and on the 3rd, 5th, and 7th days for all patients, with wound healing assessed on the 7th day. Additionally, pain levels were evaluated using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) preoperatively and on the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th days for the PDT group, and on the corresponding days for the control group. Lesion diameters in the PDT group showed a significant reduction over time (p=0.001), particularly from preoperative to final measurements. The control group also exhibited a decrease, albeit slower (p=0.001). The 7th-day healing scores favored the PDT group significantly (p=0.012). VAS scores in the PDT group decreased significantly over time (p=0.001), indicating pain reduction. A similar trend was observed in the control group, albeit slower. Between-group differences in healing data and pain data were statistically significant. PDT proves effective in reducing aphthous ulcer diameters and pain intensity, facilitating faster healing than the control group. These results advocate for PDT as a viable treatment option for aphthous lesions.