Photobiomodulation as an adjunctive therapy for alveolar socket preservation: a preliminary study in humans

Bone remodeling results in loss of alveolar bone height and thickness. Photobiomodulation (PBM) based on photochemical stimulation by low-intensity lasers emerges as an adjunctive therapy for alveolar socket preservation. Our study aimed to evaluate the effects of PBM therapy on alveolar bone repair. Twenty healthy patients in need of bilateral extraction of lower molars were enrolled in this split-mouth randomized and blind clinical trial. The extraction sites were randomly selected to receive either the PBM therapy with a CW GaAIAs diode laser (808 nm; 0.028 mm²; 0.1 W; 3.6 W/cm²; 89 J/cm²; 2.5 J/point) or no treatment (Control). Bone biopsies were harvested 45 days after the dental extraction and evaluated using micro-computerized tomography (μCT), morphometric, and histological analysis. Data were compared using the paired t test, and the level of significance was set at 5%. Bone surface (p = 0.029), bone surface/total volume (p = 0.028), trabecular number (p = 0.025), and connectivity density (p = 0.029) were higher at the PBM group compared with Control. The histological observations confirmed the μCT findings. PBM samples exhibited higher number of organized and connected bone trabeculae along with higher density of blood vessels than Control. Control samples displayed a dense and highly cellular connective tissue at the central area accompanied by the presence of immature bone trabeculae at the periphery. Our results indicated that the PBM therapy improved the newly bone trabeculae formation and their connectivity which increased bone surface, indicating the positive effect of the laser on alveolar human socket repair.