Abstract
BACKGROUND:
A
randomized, blind, controlled clinical study was conducted with a
convenience sample of 24 patients to evaluate the effectiveness of an
aluminum gallium arsenide (AlGaAs) infrared laser 808 nm after third
molar extraction by the use of infrared thermography technique.
METHODS:
Patients
were divided into four groups: erupted third molars were extracted from
the patients in Group I and Group II, and impacted third molars were
extracted from the patients in Group III and Group IV. Group I and Group
III received mock laser therapy in which the device was powered off,
and Group II and Group IV were exposed to laser light. Postoperative
clinical parameters related to the third molar extraction were
evaluated; these parameters included pain, trismus and edema.
Circulatory patterns were also evaluated by infrared thermography that
exhibited local temperature coefficient at different postoperative
periods.
RESULTS:
A
slight improvement was observed for swelling, pain and trismus in
patients who received laser irradiation, although the differences were
not statistically significant (P>0.05). Laser therapy had a
significant influence on the local circulation in the area near the
temporomandibular joint, as determined by infrared thermography
(P<0 .05="" p="">
CONCLUSIONS:
Laser
therapy was able to change the local circulation, although it did not
significantly influence swelling, pain or trismus during the
postoperative period.
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