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Review
. 2023 Mar 17;10(3):371.
doi: 10.3390/bioengineering10030371.

Photobiomodulation Therapy and Pulp-Regenerative Endodontics: A Narrative Review

Jiawen Yong  1   2 , Sabine Gröger  2 , Zuping Wu  1 , Sabine Ruf  2 , Yuer Ye  1 , Xiaoyan Chen  1
Affiliations
Review

Photobiomodulation Therapy and Pulp-Regenerative Endodontics: A Narrative Review

Jiawen Yong et al. Bioengineering (Basel). .

Abstract

Regenerative endodontic procedures (REPs) were used to recover the dental pulp's vitality in order to avoid the undesirable outcomes of conventional endodontic treatment and to promote dentinal formation, especially for immature permanent teeth. Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) exhibits photobiological and photochemical effects for improving the root canal's environmental conditions by compensating for oxidative stress and increasing the blood supply to implanted stem cells and improving their survival. Basic research has revealed that PBMT can modulate human dental pulp stem cells' (hDPSCs) differentiation, proliferation, and activity, and subsequent tissue activation. However, many unclear points still remain regarding the mechanisms of action induced by PBMT in REPs. Therefore, in this review, we present the applications of laser and PBMT irradiation to the procedures of REPs and in endodontics. In addition, the effects of PBMT on the regenerative processes of hDPSCs are reviewed from biochemical and cytological perspectives on the basis of the available literature. Furthermore, we consider the feasibility of treatment in which PBMT irradiation is applied to stem cells, including dental pulp stem cells, and we discuss research that has reported on its effect.

Keywords: human dental pulp stem cells; low-level laser therapy; photobiomodulation therapy; pulp regenerative endodontics; regenerative endodontic procedures.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Scheme of a PBMT-assisted REP. The blood clot containing the stem cells, scaffolding, and growth factors is irradiated by PBMT to further induce favorable biostimulation.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The cellular and molecular mechanisms of PBMT irradiation on DPSCs.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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