Influence of Low-Level Laser Therapy on Postoperative Pain After Dental Implant Placement: Results From Two RCTs

Objectives: To assess the influence of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on postoperative pain after dental implant placement surgeries.
Methods: Secondary data of two previously conducted randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that assessed the influence of LLLT on implant stability and radiographical peri-implant alterations in implants placed in healed sites and fresh extraction sockets were used. Patients were asked to rate their maximum postoperative pain using a visual analog scale (VAS) and to record the frequency of analgesic intake during the first week after the surgery. The number of implants and the type of placement (fresh socket or healed site) was also recorded. This study is reported according to the CONSORT guidelines.
Results: A total of 114 implants were placed in 62 patients with an average age of 49 years old (SD±12). From the total, 35 patients were submitted to a single implant placement while 27 patients had more than one implant placed at the same surgery. Eighteen patients had implants placed only in healed sites, thirty-one had implants placed only in fresh extraction sockets, and thirteen had both types of implant placement (fresh socket and healed site). No statistically significant differences were observed in postoperative pain scores when comparing the number of placed implants at the same surgery (p=0.121) and the type of implant placement (p=0.502). In regard to our primary outcome, lower postoperative pain scores were given in the LLLT groups compared to the control (p=0.013); however, no statistically significant difference was observed when analgesic intake was compared between the intervention and control group (p=0.314).
Conclusions: LLLT reduced significantly the postoperative pain scores compared to the control group. No differences were observed for postoperative pain scores for the number of placed implants at the same surgery, type of implant placement, and duration of analgesic consumption.