A randomized, clinical split-mouth study comparing conventional techniques to lasers for second-stage implant uncovering

Purpose: This randomized, clinical split-mouth study compared participants′ pain perception, quantified the inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1 β and IL-6, and assessed changes in the quantity of five periodontal pathogens, after implant uncovering. Materials and Methods: Twelve persons who received bilateral implants participated. After healing, implants were randomly uncovered using either a scalpel (control) or a 940 nm diode laser (experimental). The participants′ pain perception was assessed by questionnaires and visual analog scale. Crevicular fluid was collected around the implants at day 1 and 7, and IL-1 β and IL-6 levels were measured by ELISA. Bacterial samples were collected around the healing abutments at day 1 and 7. Results: A statistically significant difference in change of pain score over time was found. The laser sites showed an increase in pain that continued until day 3, while the scalpel sites showed an increase in pain that declined by day 2. A global health questionnaire showed that patients overwhelmingly preferred the laser to the scalpel. IL-1 β levels were significantly lower in the laser group as compared to the control group at day 1 (387.2 pg/mL vs. 456.2 pg/mL, P = 0.02). No statistically significant differences in IL-6 or bacterial quantities were found between test and control sites. Conclusions: Even though a slightly greater amount of pain was perceived over the first 2 postoperative days, patients significantly preferred the laser to the scalpel. Less inflammatory cytokine production of IL-1 β was found after the 1 st day of healing after laser surgery. Bacterial sampling was similar between test and control groups.