Clinical applications of ILIB technique in Dentistry – State of Art

Abstract

Intravascular Laser Irradiation of Blood (ILIB) represents a systemic laser photobiomodulation, where irradiation of a given artery is recommended through the use of laser light with different wavelengths. The technique developed in the 1970s, in the former Soviet Union. The present narrative review aimed to describe current aspects of ILIB therapy and its indications in different areas of health, especially in Dentistry. For the selection, searches were carried out in the PubMed, Google Scholar, Scielo and Cochrane databases, from October 2020 to January 2021. Scientific articles were selected in Portuguese and English, which had the full text available and which were published between 2015 and 2020. Some manuscripts were added for contextualization, totaling 53 studies. It was observed that the systemic effect of ILIB is achieved by irradiating the blood circulation. Increased cellular metabolism, increased production of nitric oxide and stimulated the action of the enzyme CuZn Superoxide Dismutase have been reported, and also had a documented analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect. Studies suggest that ILIB has been indicated in different areas of health and can be applied in the prevention and treatment of systemic and local, chronic and acute conditions. In dentistry, the technique was most suitable for the treatment of inflammatory conditions, such as periodontitis, mucositis, postoperative surgeries and orofacial pain. Thus, the effects of ILIB suggest its use in dental practice. However, further studies are needed, such as randomized clinical trials, to validate the use of ILIB.