Radiographical impact of photobiomodulation therapy on bone regeneration in clinical studies: a systematic review

Bone regeneration is a complex process influenced by inflammation and pathological conditions. Efforts to enhance this process include chemical and physical interventions, with PBMT therapy showing promise in improving bone regeneration. Despite conflicting findings in existing literature, this review aims to synthesize clinical evidence on using therapy (PBMT) in bone regeneration and explore its potential clinical applications. A systematic search was performed on electronic databases such as Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed from the beginning until May 2024 for randomized clinical trials that reported the result of PBMT on bone regeneration. The search strategy involved using a mix of relevant medical subject headings (MeSH) terms and pertinent keywords such as photobiomodulation therapy, low-level laser therapy, bone, regeneration, PBMT, and LLLT. From an initial search identifying 1920 articles, this review centered on 13 articles for analysis, predominantly utilizing radiographical or cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) assessments. Among these, 7 studies indicated that photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) did not have a significant impact on bone regeneration. Conversely, 4 studies showed a substantial enhancement in bone density and regeneration with PBMT. Furthermore, 2 studies investigated the impact of varying laser characteristics on case and control groups, concluding no significant difference. In spite of the conflicting results from studies mentioned above, it appears that photobiomodulation has shown positive effects on bone reconstruction. However, further research is necessary to optimize the selection of physical parameters of laser such as wavelength, energy density, and power, as they are crucial for optimizing the effectiveness of photobiomodulation for clinical use.