Photobiomodulation Therapy for Accelerating Soft Tissue Anesthesia Reversal and Preventing Self-Inflicted Injuries in Pediatric Dentistry: A Systematic Review.

Abstract

Objective: Prolonged soft tissue anesthesia (STA) after dental treatments in children poses a risk of soft tissue injury (STI). This study aimed to systematically review the role of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) in reducing the duration of STA and incidence of STI after dental procedures. Methods: This systematic review was performed based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines (PROSPERO registration code: CRD42024622981). Results: Five eligible studies were included, involving 32-60 participants between 4 and 10 years, utilizing a diode laser with various wavelengths (635, 660, 808, and 810 nm), energy densities (6-11.5 J/cm²), irradiation times (12-30 sec), and irradiation points (6-12). The results demonstrated a significant reduction in duration of STA in all studies (p < 0.05); however, the reduction in the incidence of STI remained inconclusive. Conclusions: PBMT may serve as a painless and acceptable method to reduce the duration of STA in pediatric dentistry; however, its positive role in preventing STI remains inconclusive in patients with normal intellectual abilities supervised by alert caregivers.