LASERTERAPIA EM ODONTOLOGIA: BENEFÍCIOS NO TRATAMENTO DE LESÕES E CONTROLE DE HERPES

This Final Course Project (TCC) aims to analyze the effectiveness of laser therapy in the treatment of oral herpes, emphasizing its analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and healing effects. The study was developed from a literature review based on articles published between 2014 and 2024 in databases such as PubMed, Scielo, and Lilacs. The results show that laser therapy, especially photobiomodulation, has important clinical benefits, such as pain reduction, decreased healing time, and lower recurrence rates. However, there is a lack of standardized protocols and methodological heterogeneity in the studies, which limits the consolidation of the technique as a first-line treatment. This study seeks to contribute to a critical understanding of the use of lasers in dentistry and their applicability in the management of herpetic lesions. In general, laser therapy represents a significant advance in contemporary dental practice. Although there is still no absolute consensus on ideal protocols, the trend in the literature is to recognize its role as a safe, effective, and low-risk adjuvant. The consolidation of this technique depends on greater methodological uniformity and multicenter investigations that can offer more robust recommendations for clinical practice.