Effects of low-level laser therapy on the orthodontic mini-implants stability: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Objectives The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the effects of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on the orthodontic mini-implants (OMI) stability. Materials and methods An unrestricted electronic database search in PubMed, Science Direct, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, LILACS, Google Scholar, and ClinicalTrials.gov and a hand search were performed up to December 2020. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) or non-randomized clinical trials (Non-RCTs) that assessed the effects of LLLT on the OMI stability were included. Data regarding the general information, LLLT characteristics, and outcomes were extracted. The authors performed risk of bias assessment with Cochrane Collaboration’s or ROBINS-I tool. Meta-analysis was also conducted. Results Five RCTs and one Non-RCT were included and 108 patients were evaluated. The LLLT characteristics presented different wavelength, power, energy density, irradiation time, and protocol duration. Five RCTs had a low risk of selection bias. Two RCTs had a low risk of performance and detection bias. All RCTs had a low risk of attrition bias, reporting bias and other bias. The Non-RCT presented a low risk of bias for all criteria, except for the bias in selection of participants. The meta-analysis revealed that LLLT significantly increased the OMI stability (p < 0.001, Cohen’s d = 0.67) and the highest clinical benefit was showed after 1 (p < 0.001, Cohen’s d = 0.75), 2 (p < 0.001, Cohen’s d = 1.21), and 3 (p < 0.001, Cohen’s d = 1.51) months of OMI placement. Conclusions LLLT shows positive effects on the OMI stability.

The Effect of Photobiomodulation Therapy on the Stability of Orthodontic Mini-implants in Human and Animal Studies: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

“…To the best of our knowledge, three other systematic and meta-analysis studies have been conducted in this field. [32][33][34] The results of these studies are almost the same; however, our study is the only one that has also examined animal studies. In comparison with these studies, the number of articles included in human meta-analysis in the present study was higher; moreover, the present study analyzed the reports of human studies on the displacement method by meta-analysis.…”

Therapeutic Potential of Photobiomodulation for Chronic Kidney Disease

“…One of the well-known effects of PBM is an overall inhibition of inflammation, as evidenced in various inflammatory conditions, such as diabetic wounds [ 94 ], retinal diseases [ 95 ], asthma [ 96 ], and the aging brain [ 72 ]. PBM exerts its anti-inflammatory effect by reducing many cytokines and inflammatory mediators in different inflammatory conditions such as carrageenan-induced paw edema, blepharitis, and osteoarthritis [ 10 , 97 , 98 ]. In human periodontal ligament fibroblasts stimulated with IL-1µ, PBM with 810 nm alone or combined with 660 nm or 980 nm showed more potent inhibition of INF-γ, IL-17A/F, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), and IL-6 as compared to 660 nm + 980 nm irradiation, demonstrating the beneficial effect of PBM with 810 nm in regulating inflammatory responses [ 99 ].…”

“…PBM, previously known as low-level laser (light) therapy (LLLT), uses visible and near-infrared light with a wavelength from 450 to 1100 nm to trigger photochemical changes within intracellular cellular structures. PBM has been used clinically for more than 50 years and studied in various diseases and conditions, such as muscle [ 5 ], wound healing [ 6 ], pain relief [ 7 ], arthritis [ 8 ], hair loss [ 9 ], orthodontic mini-implant stability [ 10 ], neurodegenerative diseases [ 11 ] and most recently in COVID-19 patients [ 12 ]. PBM has been shown over decades to be a patient-directed, adjunctive, effective, non-invasive, and safe treatment option to mitigate mitochondrial dysfunction [ 13 ], oxidative stress [ 14 , 15 ], inflammatory conditions [ 16 ], and, more recently, gut microbiota dysbiosis [ 17 ], which are all primary contributors to CKD.…”

Is it possible to anchor a tooth with photobiomodulation?

“…PBM has been used for retention phases[ 9 ], bone regeneration after rapid palatal expansion[ 10 ], and to improve implant stability[ 11 ].…”