Influence of low-level laser on dental implant sites: A literature review

Abstract

Low-level laser therapy has been used as adjuvant in biostimulation of bone repair. Objective: The aim of this paper is to review studies assessing the effects of low-levellaser therapy on the process of bone repair at dental implants sites. Methods: an electronic search of papers published between 2002 and 2013 was conducted on PubMed, Scopus and CAPES databases using the keywords “Laser therapy, Low-level”, “Phototherapy”, “Laser therapy”, and“Dental implants”. Publications structurally incomplete or not meeting the inclusion criteria were excluded. Results: Sixteen relevant articles were selected, fifteen of which were conducted in ananimal model and one randomized clinical trial. Fourteen in vivo studies showed better bone healing in sites irradiated with low-level lasers. Conclusion: Low-level laser therapy seems to acceleratethe process of bone repair at dental implant sites. Despite promising results obtained in studieswith animal models, scientific evidence from clinical trials remains limited.