Impact of low-level laser therapy on orthodontic pain

Introduction Pain is a primary deterrent to patient compliance in orthodontics. While pharmacological options exist, their systemic side effects warrant exploration of non-invasive alternatives. This study introduces Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) as a localized, non-pharmacological intervention and evaluates its efficacy in mitigating pain during the critical initial phase of fixed appliance treatment. Methods In this prospective controlled study, 60 patients (aged 14.6–37.1 years) were randomized into an LLLT group (n = 20) and a control group (n = 40). The LLLT group received daily photobiomodulation (670 nm, 4–6 J/cm2) for five consecutive days post-appliance placement. Pain was assessed daily using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Laitinen Scale, and Verbal Rating Scale (VRS). Oral hygiene was evaluated using the Approximal Plaque Index (API). Results LLLT significantly reduced pain perception. Pain peaked on day 2 for both groups, but the VAS score was lower in the LLLT group (4.35) than the control group (5.30). By day 4, the difference was highly significant (LLLT: 2.05 vs. Control:3.77; p < 0.0014). Furthermore, the LLLT group demonstrated significantly better oral hygiene, with a lower increase in API scores from T0 to T5 compared to the control group (p < 0.0003). Conclusion and application LLLT is an effective and safe modality for reducing acute orthodontic pain. Its localized action, absence of systemic side effects, and positive influence on oral hygiene make it available clinical tool for improving patient comfort and compliance during orthodontic therapy. This study provides strong evidence supporting the integration of LLLT into routine orthodontic practice.

• Publication year

  2025

• Venue

  Frontiers in Neurology

• Publication date

  2025-11-11

• Fields of study

  Medicine

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.3389/fneur.2025.1666348PMID 41306654PMCID 12644082
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

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