Jacco G C Tuk1, Arjen J van Wijk2, Ine C Mertens3, Zühal Keleş3, Jérôme A H Lindeboom4, Dan M J Milstein3. 1. Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Amstelland Hospital, Amstelveen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: J.G.Tuk@amc.uva.nl. 2. Department of Oral Health Sciences, Social Dentistry Division, Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam and VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 3. Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 4. Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Amstelland Hospital, Amstelveen, The Netherlands.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the analgesic effects of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on preinjection sites in patients scheduled for third molar removal. STUDY DESIGN: This double-blind randomized controlled trial included 163 healthy patients undergoing third molar extractions. The study participants were randomly divided into an LLLT and a placebo group. Objective and subjective data sets were obtained from physiologic feedback (heart rate and sweat response) and a questionnaire, respectively. In the LLLT group, each targeted injection site was irradiated twice with 198 mW continuous wave for 30 seconds with a 0.088 cm2 focal spot at an applied energy of 5.94 J and fluence of 67.50 J/cm2. Measurements were recorded from 4 time-points during data acquisition. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the LLLT and placebo groups in pain experience scores associated with the injected sites for maxillary or mandibular third molar extractions. Mean heart rates before and during injection were lower in the LLLT group than in the placebo group for both maxillary and mandibular regions. No statistically significant differences were observed for any remaining parameters. CONCLUSIONS: The present data indicated that preinjection LLLT did not effectively decrease the pain felt during local anesthetic injections before third molar surgery.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the analgesic effects of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on preinjection sites in patients scheduled for third molar removal. STUDY DESIGN: This double-blind randomized controlled trial included 163 healthy patients undergoing third molar extractions. The study participants were randomly divided into an LLLT and a placebo group. Objective and subjective data sets were obtained from physiologic feedback (heart rate and sweat response) and a questionnaire, respectively. In the LLLT group, each targeted injection site was irradiated twice with 198 mW continuous wave for 30 seconds with a 0.088 cm2 focal spot at an applied energy of 5.94 J and fluence of 67.50 J/cm2. Measurements were recorded from 4 time-points during data acquisition. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the LLLT and placebo groups in pain experience scores associated with the injected sites for maxillary or mandibular third molar extractions. Mean heart rates before and during injection were lower in the LLLT group than in the placebo group for both maxillary and mandibular regions. No statistically significant differences were observed for any remaining parameters. CONCLUSIONS: The present data indicated that preinjection LLLT did not effectively decrease the pain felt during local anesthetic injections before third molar surgery.