Assessment of photobiomodulation by a 660-nm diode laser on the reversal of soft tissue anesthesia in children: A randomized controlled clinical trial.

Abstract

Soft tissue anesthesia (STA) following inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) anesthesia lasts 3-5 h. It is important to reverse STA after treatment to prevent soft tissue injury (STI). This study evaluated photobiomodulation using a 660 nm diode laser on STA reversal and its impact on STI following IANB anesthesia. A randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on 32 children, aged 5-8 years, allocated into the test and control groups. Anesthesia was administered; the operative procedure was performed followed by exposure to laser. STA reversal was monitored through lip tapping, current perception threshold (CPT) tests, and paediatric Functional Assessment Battery. The test group showed significantly faster recovery to normal sensation following exposure to laser than the control group which did not undergo any reversal (p < .0001), with a median time of 115 and 60 min according to lip tapping and CPT tests, respectively. The test group also showed significantly faster recovery to normal function (p = .016). The incidence of STI in the form of redness was significantly higher in the control group (p = .022). Photobiomodulation using a 660 nm diode laser can be considered as an efficient approach to minimize STA and STI after dental interventions.