Effectiveness of low-level diode laser in the management of complications after third-molar surgical extraction: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) in reducing postoperative pain, swelling, and trismus after extraction of third molars. Types of Studies Reviewed: The authors conducted a literature search without restriction on dates or language in the following databases: PubMed (MEDLINE), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials database, Web of Science, and Scopus. They selected only split-mouth randomized clinical trials investigating the use of LLLT and comparing the effectiveness with a placebo group. Results: The authors identified 803 references and evaluated 131 articles in full text. After this analysis, the authors included 18 articles in this study. The results of the meta-analysis suggest potential efficacy of LLLT in the reduction of postoperative pain (standardized mean difference [SMD], −1.11; 95% CI, −1.63 to −0.58; P < .001) and swelling (SMD, −0.50; 95% CI, −0.88 to −0.11; P = .01) at 48 hours and trismus (SMD, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.16 to 0.53; P = .002) at 7 days after surgery. Practical Implications: Evidence shows low certainty to indicate the use of LLLT after mandibular third-molar extraction. Future studies with improved methodology are needed to establish its efficacy in reducing pain, swelling, and trismus.