The Comparison of 940nm and 810nm Diode Laser Effects on the Repair of Inferior Alveolar Sensory Nerve Injury: A Clinical Trial.

Statement of the problem: Healing of the inferior alveolar nerve injury during dental procedures is one of the biggest concerns of dentists. There are still debates on different treatment modalities.

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the effect of 940nm and 810nm diode lasers on the repair of the inferior alveolar sensory nerve.

Materials and method: In this single-blinded randomized clinical trial, 39 patients with inferior alveolar nerve injury were divided into three groups: 1. 810nm laser irradiated, 2. 940nm laser irradiated, and 3. No laser irradiation (control group). All patients were treated in 12 sessions (3 days per week) and evaluated using a complete clinical neurosensory test (CNT), including brushstroke, 2-point discrimination, pinprick nociception, and thermal discrimination before and after treatment.

Results: The mean dysesthesia of the patient treated with 810nm diode laser was significantly lower than the control group in all sessions (the 1^st (p= 0.003), 3^rd (p= 0.008), 7^th (p= 0.006), and 12^th sessions (p= 0.005)). The 810nm laser resulted in more satisfaction in patients than the control group in almost all sessions (1^st (p< 0.001), 7^th (p= 0.028), and 12^th (p= 0.006)). More patient satisfaction was seen in the 1^st and 3^rd sessions in the 810nm laser than in the 980nm laser (p< 0.001 and p= 0.003, respectively).

Conclusion: 810nm diode laser can be better than 940nm in repairing inferior alveolar sensory nerve damage.