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

Background: 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).

Aim: This study evaluated photobiomodulation using a 660 nm diode laser on STA reversal and its impact on STI following IANB anesthesia.

Design: 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.

Results: 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).

Conclusion: Photobiomodulation using a 660 nm diode laser can be considered as an efficient approach to minimize STA and STI after dental interventions.