The effect of 0.24% hyaluronic acid gel used after diode laser-assisted labial frenectomy on postoperative pain level and periodontal parameters: a randomized clinical research

Aims: Diode lasers are popular dental soft tissue lasers due to their bleeding-free and sutureless surgery advantages. Although diode lasers offer benefits in surgery, their application in frenectomy procedures for pediatric patients remains limited. Hyaluronic acid gel (HA) is a commonly used natural biopolymer for treating symptoms of wound healing. No studies have examined the effect of 0.24% HA gel on postoperative pain and periodontal outcomes after laser-assisted frenectomy in children. This research aimed to evaluate the effect of 0.24% HA gel on the healing trajectory and postoperative pain management in pediatric patients undergoing diode laser-assisted labial frenectomy. Methods: Two groups were formed for the study: a control group consisting of 20 participants aged 8 to 14 who underwent diode laser-assisted frenectomy with sterile saline and an experimental group of 20 participants, also aged 8 to 14, who received diode laser-assisted frenectomy supplemented with HA gel. A frenectomy was performed using diode laser assistance. After the surgery, the pain level was evaluated using the visual analog scale for one week. Plaque index, gingival index, pocket depth, bleeding on probing, keratinized gingival width, and attached gingival thickness values were observed and evaluated for three months. Results: No difference in pain levels between HA gel and the control group after one week on days 1 and 2; the group that used HA gel reported lower pain levels (p>0.05). The control group reported lower pain levels during the third and fourth days (p>0.05). During days 5-7, the group treated with HA gel reported lower pain levels (p>0.05). Between days 5 and 7, the HA gel participants experienced decreased pain levels. The test group also showed no significant changes in all periodontal parameters. Conclusion: Applying 0.24% HA gel post-laser-assisted frenectomy reduced pain, although this effect did not reach statistical significance compared to the control group. Future studies should involve larger sample sizes and extended follow-up periods to investigate further HA gel's effects, particularly formulations with higher concentrations.