Effectiveness of low level laser in minimizing edema and promoting wound healing after third molar surgery: a randomized clinical trial

Surgical removal of third molar is one of the most common surgical procedures in oral surgery and is often associated with complications such as pain, swelling and trismus. The main purpose of the study was to assess the therapeutic effect of low level laser (LLL) irradiation on postoperative edema and wound healing compared to routine postoperative management after third molar surgery. A double blinded, randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted in 2 groups of 20 patients, each undergoing surgical removal of their impacted mandibular third molars. Postoperatively, patients in study group were irradiated with Ga-Al-As laser with a diode wavelength of 890nm and a power output of 80 mw in pulsed mode for 6 minutes intraorally. The control group received only routine post-surgical management including 400 mg Ibuprofen 4 times daily and cold packs. Intraoral low level laser therapy (LLLT) resulted in a statistically significant reduction in the amount of swelling on the 2nd postoperative day compared to the control group. The healing process was significantly better in laser- irradiated wounds. The LLLT with Ga-Al-As laser seems to be safe and can be considered as an effective modality for reducing postoperative discomfort and promoting wound healing after third molar surgery.