Decrowding of lower anterior segment with and without photobiomodulation: a single center, randomized clinical trial

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of low-level light therapy using light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on the speed of tooth movements that were required for the leveling and aligning of the lower anterior segment during non-extraction orthodontic treatment. The sample was comprised of patients (n = 40) with lower anterior crowding who were treated with self-ligating orthodontic brackets and a standardized wire sequence. A test group of patients (n = 20) who were treated with extraoral infrared light therapy for 20 min daily with at least 80 % compliance was compared to a control group (n = 20). The date of the first arch wire placement was recorded as T1, and the date of the completion of the lower anterior segment decrowding was recorded as T2. A final impression was also taken at T2. The time between T1 and T2 was significantly reduced by 22 % in the test group compared to the control group (68.3 vs. 87.8 days, respectively, p < 0.043). The use of photobiomodulation for 20 min daily at a wavelength of 850 nm might reduce the time required to resolve lower anterior crowding. This trial and its protocol were not registered on a publicly accessible registry.