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Background The Nd:YAG laser has recently been used in the treatment of periodontal disease. However, although a clinical reduction of probing depth and gingival inflammation to this new approach has been reported, it has not been fully evaluated. Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), a potent stimulator of bone resorption, has been identified in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF), which is closely associated with periodontal destruction. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of Nd:YAQ laser treatment versus scaling/root planing (SRP) treatment on crevicular IL-1β levels in 52 sampled sites obtained from 8 periodontitis patients. Methods: One or 2 periodontitis-affected sites with a 4 to 6 mm probing depth and horizontal bone loss from 3 adjacent single-root teeth in each of 4 separate quadrants were selected from patients for clinical documentation and IL-1β assay. Sampling site(s) from each diseased quadrant was randomly assigned to one of the following groups: 1) subgingival laser treatment (20 pps, 150 mJ) only; 2) SRP only; 3) laser treatment first, followed by SRP 6 weeks later; or 4) SRP first, followed by laser therapy 6 weeks later. The GCF was collected and the amount of IL-1β was assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Clinical parameters and GCF were measured at baseline and biweekly after therapy for 12 weeks. Results: An obvious clinical improvement (marked decrease in the number of diseased sites with gingival index ≥2) and reduction of crevicular 1L-1β were found in all groups. The level of IL-1β was significantly lower in the SRP group (P = 0.035) than in the laser therapy group for the duration of the 12 weeks. The laser combined SRP therapy group showed a further reduction of IL-1β (6 to 12 weeks after treatment) than either laser therapy alone or SRP combined laser therapy. Conclusions: Our data suggest that laser therapy appeared to be less effective than traditional SRP treatment. Of the 4 treatment modalities, inclusion of SRP was found to have a superior IL-1β response, when compared to other therapies without it. In addition, no additional benefit was found when laser treatment was used secondary to traditional SRP therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]