Abstract
Oral paresthesia is a localized condition of sensory abnormality that occurs in the presence of injury in one of the nerves in the region after certain dental procedures. The aim of this study was to present a case report of a patient who received low-level laser therapy as treatment for inferior alveolar nerve paresthesia due to mandibular third molar extraction surgery. A 25-year-old female patient reported lack of sensitivity for 6 months in various regions of the bucomaxillofacial complex after surgery. Laser therapy (808 ± 10nm, 100 mW, 3J per point and 30 seconds per point) was indicated twice a week. The degree of sensitivity was evaluated using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and with the aid of a microbrush. Prior to laser therapy, the patient reported VAS = 10, i.e., total lack of sensitivity. After 72 hours of the first session, the patient reported improvement of sensitivity in the chin (VAS = 5) and oral regions (VAS = 5), reporting recovery of sensitivity and that the area of paresthesia decreased. After 8 sessions, the patient reported total recovery of sensitivity in the chin, oral and gum regions (VAS = 0), with paresthesia being limited only to the left lower lip region and below it. After 26 sessions, the patient reported recovery of sensitivity in all affected regions (VAS = 0), with positive responses to the brush touch. Within the parameters used, laser therapy was effective in the treatment of inferior alveolar nerve paresthesia after third molar tooth extraction. Key words:Lasers, paresthesia, oral surgery, low-level laser therapy.
Highlights
Oral paresthesia occurs in the presence of injury in one of the nerves in the region, usually the inferior alveolar and / or lingual nerve in situations where they are affected by being in contact with or in close proximity to the area involved in dental procedures [1,2]
The scientific literature points out three possible actions of low-intensity lasers in the treatment of paresthesia: accelerated regeneration of the injured nerve tissue, stimulation of adjacent or contralateral nerve tissues, causing them to play the role of the injured nerve, and biomodulation of the nerve response to normality of the action potential threshold [8]
Given divergences and few studies found in current literature regarding dosimetry and irradiation protocols, the aim of this study was to report a case of a patient who received low-level laser therapy as treatment for inferior alveolar nerve paresthesia due to mandibular third molar extraction surgery
Summary
Oral paresthesia occurs in the presence of injury in one of the nerves in the region, usually the inferior alveolar and / or lingual nerve in situations where they are affected by being in contact with or in close proximity to the area involved in dental procedures [1,2]. After 26 sessions, the patient reported recovery of sensitivity in all affected regions (VAS = 0), with positive and normal responses to the brush touch Based on these results, the patient was reevaluated 7, 24 and 30 days after the end of treatment, with the same tests, and no areas with lack of sensitivity were observed and the patient reported complete satisfaction with the therapy performed. Before the first laser therapy session, the patient reported VAS = 10, i.e., total lack of sensitivity in all regions affected by paresthesia. After 12 sessions, the patient reported lack of sensitivity in the left lower lip region and below it (VAS = 10) and that the other previously affected regions remained normal. After 20 laser therapy sessions, the patient reported that paresthesia was restricted to the lower lip vermilion bor-
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