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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2025 Apr 17;40(1):196.
doi: 10.1007/s10103-025-04445-4.

Comparison of the effects of antibiotic therapy and photobiomodulation with red and infrared lasers on the healing of postextraction sockets of third molars: A randomised controlled trial

Davisson Alves Pereira  1 , Mariana Silva Bonatto  1 , Samara Souza Santos  1 , Pedro Gomes Junqueira Mendes  1 , Roberto Sales E Pessoa  2 , Guilherme José Pimentel Lopes de Oliveira  3
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Comparison of the effects of antibiotic therapy and photobiomodulation with red and infrared lasers on the healing of postextraction sockets of third molars: A randomised controlled trial

Davisson Alves Pereira et al. Lasers Med Sci. .

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of dual-wavelength photobiomodulation (PBMT) compared with antibiotic therapy with amoxicillin on postoperatory healing and symptoms after third molar extraction. Sixty patients were randomly allocated in a parallel model according to the adjunctive therapy applied after extraction of all 4 third molars in one single session (n = 15): CTR: no adjunctive therapy; ATB3: amoxicillin for 3 days; ATB7: amoxicillin for 7 days; PBMT: PBMT at dual wavelengths (λ 660 nm and λ 808 nm, 200 mW). Clinical analyses (assessment of oedema, mouth opening variation, and soft tissue healing) and patient-centred analyses (application of a visual analogue scale (VAS) to assess pain, inflammation, bleeding, difficulty during opening the mouth, and chewing) were performed at 3, 7, 14, 30, and 90 days after the surgical procedure. Radiographic analysis was performed to evaluate bone repair by observing the radiographic density and fractal dimension immediately and 90 days after tooth extraction. PBMT reduced the loss of mouth opening amplitude and the sensation of pain and oedema. There were no differences between the ATB and CTR groups. PBMT has a beneficial effect on postoperative control (reduction in inflammation and pain) after third molar extraction, and ATB does not have a beneficial effect on postoperative control after these surgeries. PBMT reduces morbidity after third molar extraction, whereas antibiotic therapy has no beneficial effect. Trial registration Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (REBEC-RBR- 4bct2 km-Date of registration: 12/06/2021) under number U1111 - 1263-9675.

Keywords: Antibiotic therapy; Healing; Photobiomodulation; Tooth extraction.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval: This study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the human research ethics committee of the Federal University of Uberlândia, under protocol number CAAE: 37924720.3.0000.5152, and was registered with the Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (REBEC—RBR- 4bct2 km—Date of registration: 12/06/2021) under number U1111 - 1263–9675. Informed consent: Informed consent was obtained from each individual participant in this study. All the participants signed an informed consent form that was previously approved by the ethics committee of the Federal University of Uberlândia. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests.

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