Effect of Low-level Light Therapy on Post-operative Healing of Secondary Chronic Osteomyelitis of the Jaws - A Prospective Study

Abstract

Introduction: Osteomyelitis of the jaws is a common disease of the maxillofacial region. The goal of treatment is to alleviate pain, reduce infection, inhibit the progression of the disease and induce bone and mucosal healing. In addition to surgical management and antibiotic and oxygen hyperbaric therapy, new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of osteomyelitis are developed. One of the novel approaches is photobiomodulation therapy or low-level light therapy (LLLT). Materials and Methods: After surgical treatment, experimental group patients (n = 4) were treated with LLLT for five sessions with an extraoral pulsed 635-nm LED lamp (Repuls7, Repuls Lichtmedizintechnik GmbH, Austria), maximum output power: 140 mW/cm2, frequency: 2.5 Hz, duty cycle: 50%. Clinical achievement and patient pain perception (through Visual Analogue Scale score) were evaluated at 1-, 3- and 6-month follow-up appointments and compared with control group (n = 4) patients, treated with standard therapy. Results: At three and six months, clinical achievement was better in patients treated with LLLT. Pain and discomfort resolution was significantly greater in the experimental group. Discussion: Taking into consideration the results of this study, it can be concluded that LLLT shows potential for improving clinical outcome of surgical and medical treatment of secondary chronic osteomyelitis of the jaws. Furthermore, pain and discomfort were significantly reduced in patients treated with LLLT. Further research with a larger sample size is needed to obtain a more accurate insight into this promising field.

An Update on the Use of Lasers in Prosthodontics

“…In addition, lasers have proven to be very effective in crown lengthening and resizing procedures that aid in the adequate exposure of tooth structure for various restorative purposes. This ability to precisely remove soft tissue without causing injury to adjacent structures adds to the success of such procedures [21]. Furthermore, frenectomy and frenotomy procedures, aimed at the correction of aberrant muscle attachments in the oral cavity, also benefit from laser precision, leading to enhanced healing and reduction of postoperative discomfort for patients [22].…”

“…Laser-assisted crown lengthening involves the recontouring of gum tissue and bone to expose more tooth structure. This procedure is commonly performed before restorative treatments to ensure there is adequate tooth structure for crown placement [21].…”

“…Versatility in applications: Laser assisted procedure find diverse applications in prosthodontics, that ranges from soft tissue management (for example, gingivectomy, crown lengthening) to several restorative procedures (for example, cavity preparation, bonding), and even in the implant dentistry including the periimplantitis management, soft tissue contouring etc [15,21].…”