Orthodontic pain
LLLT for orthodontic pain systematic review and meta-analysis
Deana NF, Zaror C, Sandoval P, et al. Pain Research and Management. 2017.
A meta-analysis found LLLT reduced spontaneous and chewing pain after orthodontic force, but evidence quality was poor.
Evidence grade
low
Effect direction
positive
Panel relevance
not-panel-replicable
Key findings
- The review included 20 RCTs.
- LLLT favored pain reduction 24 and 72 hours after archwire or separator placement.
- Most studies had high or unclear risk of bias.
Protocol details
| Wavelengths | Not reported nm |
|---|---|
| Irradiance | Not reported mW/cm2 |
| Fluence | Not reported J/cm2 |
| Session time | Not reported minutes |
| Frequency | Dental procedure-specific |
| Duration | Outcomes commonly assessed at 24 and 72 hours |
| Treatment area | Orthodontic dental targets |
| Device type | Dental low-level laser therapy |
Caveats
- This is dental-procedure evidence, not panel evidence.
- Poor evidence quality limits confidence.