Dentinal Hypersensitivity Treatment Using Diode Laser 980 nm: In Vivo Study

peer reviewedThe discomfort of patients due to dentinal hypersensitivity (DH) is one of the main challenges that dentists face in daily practice. Difficulties in DH treatment gave rise to many protocols which are currently used. The aim of this clinical study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a new protocol on the reduction of dentinal hypersensitivity with diode laser 980 nm and the application of a graphite paste. 184 patients enrolled in the study, the degree of pain was evaluated by visual analog scale (VAS), graphite paste was applied on the exposed dentine before irradiation, the application of diode laser 980 nm with continuous mode, backward motion, tangential incidence of the beam in non-contact mode and a delivery output of 1 W. Fiber’s diameter was 320 μm and total exposure time depended on the time necessary to remove the graphite paste from the teeth. Statistical analyses were performed with Prism 5® software. Pain in post-operative significantly decreased immediately after the treatment. Mean values stayed stable until a 6-month follow-up. The application is considered to be safe with long-term effectiveness

Photobiomodulation Therapy in the Treatment of Oral Mucositis, Dysgeusia and Oral Dryness as Side-Effects of Head and Neck Radiotherapy in a Cancer Patient: A Case Report.

peer reviewedSuccessful management of oral mucositis, dysgeusia and oral dryness was made with fivesessions of photobiomodulation. The severity of oral mucositis was measured according to the World Health Organization scale for the assessment of oral mucositis. Dysgeusia testing was performed according to the International Standards Organization (ISO). For the assessment of oral dryness or hyposalivation, quantity of the total resting and stimulated saliva (Q-sal, mL/min) was measured.Photobiomodulation parameters, applications, and treatment protocol used were suggested by an international multidisciplinary panel of clinicians and researchers with expertise in the area of supportive care in cancer and/or PBM clinical application and dosimetry. This case report confirms the effectiveness of photobiomodulation therapy in the management of oral mucositis, dysgeusia, and oral dryness

Management of Medication-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw with Photobiomodulation and Minimal Surgical Intervention.

peer reviewedMedication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) is a relatively common pathology occurring in around 5% of patients taking bisphosphate and other antiresorptive or anti-angiogenic medications. Despite the efforts, as of today there is still no consensus on its management. In this case report, the successful management of stage II MRONJ was performed for an eighty-three-year-old female patient suffering from pain and alteration in her normal oral functions (swallowing and phonation). The treatment consisted of three sessions of photobiomodulation therapy (PBM), followed by minimal surgical intervention and three other sessions of PBM. PBM was applied on the sites of osteonecrosis with the follow parameters: 4 J/cm2; a power of 50 mW; 8 mm applicator diameter; a continuous contact mode. Irradiation was performed on three points, including the vestibular, occlusal and lingual parts of each of the bone exposure areas. Each point was irradiated for 40 s, and, in total, nine points were made per session, and nine sessions were conducted. To assess the pain, a visual analogue scale was used in which zero represented no pain at all and ten represented the greatest pain. At the first session and before any intervention, the patient stated that her pain was 8 out of 10. At the end of the treatment, a significant reduction in VAS was noted (2/10) and, clinically, a healing of the soft tissue in the previously exposed bone was observed. This case report suggests that the combination of PBM with surgical intervention is promising in the management of MRONJ