## 4 Discussion
Except for _T. donticola_, _F. nuclatum_ ssp., and _P. intermedia_ were observed in limited quantities, while the relative abundance of _A. actinomycetemcomitans_ was nearly negligible. The current study demonstrated the efficacy of LANAP and OHLLT protocols in nonsurgical periodontal treatment for reducing bacterial load in periodontal pockets, as assessed through microbiological evaluation using real-time PCR [8; 9; 10; 26; 35; 42; 11]. These findings indicate that both protocols are effective for treating periodontal conditions. Additionally, it could be interesting in the future to test laser-assisted therapies in combination with other adjurants such as lysates [43] or probiotics supplementation [44]. The literature documents the characteristics of laser-assisted procedures in inducing minimal postoperative pain. [PERSON] [45] asserts that despite the decade-long utilization of lasers in periodontal therapy, doctors have only begun to explore the vast potential of this treatment modality. The laser's advantageous attributes, including its minimal pain, user-friendliness, and ability to target specific sites, render it a highly suitable tool for incorporation into the periodontitis's array of instruments. Currently, there is a growing development of applications that encompass a wider spectrum of wavelengths. These applications aim to provide effective, consistent, and comfortable therapy for the purpose of managing patients with periodontal conditions. Multiple studies have been conducted to provide evidence that laser-induced photobiomodulation can reduce pain across a range of clinical trials. In their study, [PERSON] et al. [46] conducted an assessment of the effectiveness of a low-power 940-nm diode laser in mitigating postoperative pain following undisplaced flap surgery. The findings of their investigation revealed a significant reduction in pain levels and a decrease in the consumption of analgesic medication among patients who underwent undisplaced flap surgery. The study conducted by [PERSON] et al. [47] examined the efficacy of diode lasers in reducing postoperative pain and achieving root canal sterility during endodontic therapy. The results of the qualitative pain scores indicated a statistically significant difference in pain levels between the diode laser group and the Endo group at all measured time intervals. Numerous research studies have been conducted to investigate the efficacy of laser utilization in orthodontic practice as a means to alleviate post-treatment discomfort resulting from the application of multibracket fixed orthodontic therapy. The user did not provide any text to rewrite. Nevertheless, there exists a dearth of information pertaining to investigations on post-procedural pain subsequent to laser-assisted nonsurgical periodontal therapy. This pilot study successfully addressed a knowledge gap by comparing two laser-assisted approaches, namely OHLLT and LANAP. Both techniques were shown to be beneficial in terms of their bactericidal impact. However, OHLLT was notably more favorable in terms of the postoperative discomfort experienced by patients. The limitations of this study are represented by the small number of the patient sample considered, the fact that the perception of pain is a qualitative and subjective variable, and the noncomplete reliability of the NRS.