Effectiveness of Low-Level Laser Therapy in Reducing Orthodontic Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objectives. To assess the effectiveness of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) in reducing orthodontic pain after the application of orthodontic force (OF).Methods. A systematic search was conducted in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and EBSCOhost databases. The study included randomized clinical trials (RCT) which analysed the effectiveness of LLLT in reducing orthodontic pain assessed at 24 and 72 hrs after the application of OF. The risk of bias of the eligible trials was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration’s risk of bias tool. Standard mean difference was calculated and pooled by meta-analysis using random effect models.Results.Of 467 identified articles, 20 RCT were finally included. In the risk of bias assessments, 13 studies presented a high risk, 5 an unclear risk, and 2 a low risk. The meta-analysis showed that in patients treated with laser versus placebo there was a difference in favour of LLLT in spontaneous pain 24 and 72 hrs after the installation of light archwires and spontaneous pain and chewing pain 24 and 72 hrs after the installation of elastomeric separators.Conclusions.LLLT proved to be effective in promoting a reduction in spontaneous and chewing pain after the application of OF; however, the poor quality of the evidence requires these results to be treated with caution.

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Comments on: “Efficacy of low-level laser therapy in the management of orthodontic pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis”

Lasers in Medical Science ◽

10.1007/s10103-013-1335-0 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 29 (4) ◽

pp. 1531-1531 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Boxi Yan

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Laser Therapy ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Low Level Laser Therapy ◽

Low Level ◽

Low Level Laser ◽

Level Laser ◽

Orthodontic Pain

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Reply to comments on: “Efficacy of low-level laser therapy in the management of orthodontic pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis”

Lasers in Medical Science ◽

10.1007/s10103-013-1477-0 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 30 (2) ◽

pp. 941-942

Author(s):

Wulin He ◽

Chunjie Li ◽

Shujuan Zou

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Laser Therapy ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Low Level Laser Therapy ◽

Low Level ◽

Low Level Laser ◽

Level Laser ◽

Orthodontic Pain

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Efficacy of low-level laser therapy in the management of orthodontic pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Lasers in Medical Science ◽

10.1007/s10103-012-1196-y ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 28 (6) ◽

pp. 1581-1589 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

W. L. He ◽

C. J. Li ◽

Z. P. Liu ◽

J. F. Sun ◽

Z. A. Hu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Laser Therapy ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Low Level Laser Therapy ◽

Low Level ◽

Low Level Laser ◽

Level Laser ◽

Orthodontic Pain

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Efficacy of low-level laser therapy on pain and disability in knee osteoarthritis: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised placebo-controlled trials

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2019-031142 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (10) ◽

pp. e031142 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Martin Bjørn Stausholm ◽

Ingvill Fjell Naterstad ◽

Jon Joensen ◽

Rodrigo Álvaro Brandão Lopes-Martins ◽

Humaira Sæbø ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Knee Osteoarthritis ◽

Laser Therapy ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Risk Of Bias ◽

Low Level Laser Therapy ◽

Controlled Trials ◽

Low Level ◽

Low Level Laser ◽

Level Laser

ObjectivesLow-level laser therapy (LLLT) is not recommended in major knee osteoarthritis (KOA) treatment guidelines. We investigated whether a LLLT dose–response relationship exists in KOA.DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis.Data sourcesEligible articles were identified through PubMed, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Physiotherapy Evidence Database and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials on 18 February 2019, reference lists, a book, citations and experts in the field.Eligibility criteria for selecting studiesWe solely included randomised placebo-controlled trials involving participants with KOA according to the American College of Rheumatology and/or Kellgren/Lawrence criteria, in which LLLT was applied to participants’ knee(s). There were no language restrictions.Data extraction and synthesisThe included trials were synthesised with random effects meta-analyses and subgrouped by dose using the World Association for Laser Therapy treatment recommendations. Cochrane’s risk-of-bias tool was used.Results22 trials (n=1063) were meta-analysed. Risk of bias was insignificant. Overall, pain was significantly reduced by LLLT compared with placebo at the end of therapy (14.23 mm Visual Analogue Scale (VAS; 95% CI 7.31 to 21.14)) and during follow-ups 1–12 weeks later (15.92 mm VAS (95% CI 6.47 to 25.37)). The subgroup analysis revealed that pain was significantly reduced by the recommended LLLT doses compared with placebo at the end of therapy (18.71 mm (95% CI 9.42 to 27.99)) and during follow-ups 2–12 weeks after the end of therapy (23.23 mm VAS (95% CI 10.60 to 35.86)). The pain reduction from the recommended LLLT doses peaked during follow-ups 2–4 weeks after the end of therapy (31.87 mm VAS significantly beyond placebo (95% CI 18.18 to 45.56)). Disability was also statistically significantly reduced by LLLT. No adverse events were reported.ConclusionLLLT reduces pain and disability in KOA at 4–8 J with 785–860 nm wavelength and at 1–3 J with 904 nm wavelength per treatment spot.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42016035587.

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