Crown Lengthening by Conventional Diode Laser and Blue Laser: A Randomised Clinical Trial

Abstract

Introduction: Crown lengthening is a reliable procedure that enables the restoration of teeth with a short clinical crown, extensive subgingival caries, and correction of excessive gingival display for aesthetic purposes. Blue laser, a recent technology in dentistry, has shown significant effectiveness at low power settings, promoting favourable wound healing effects. Aim: To compare the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores and wound healing outcomes between blue laser and denlase in performing crown lengthening procedures. Materials and Methods: A randomised clinical trial was conducted in the Department of Periodontics and Implantology, Vishnu Dental College, Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh, India, involving 14 patients who were divided into two groups. Participants were recruited from September 2021 to April 2022. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Institutional Ethics and Review Board. Group-A underwent crown lengthening using blue laser (445 nm), while Group-B received treatment with denlase (980 nm). VAS scores and the wound healing index were recorded and compared between the two groups at baseline, 10 days, and one month after the surgery. Statistical tests such as the Mann-Whitney U test, unpaired t-test, and repeated measures ANOVA were used for analysis. Results: The study revealed a statistically significant difference (p-value=0.006) in VAS scores between the blue laser group (mean value of 0.5) and the denlase group (mean value of 1.3). However, statistically significant differences in Wachtel’s early wound healing index were not observed in either of the groups. Conclusion: Blue laser treatment was found to be more comfortable for patients, as indicated by the lower VAS scores. Both groups demonstrated good wound healing properties based on Wachtel’s early wound healing index, with no significant difference between them. It is important to note that literature on blue laser technology is still in its early stages and requires further comprehensive investigation.