Analgesic Efficacy of Low‐Level Laser Therapy for Postoperative Endodontic Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
This systematic review analysed the analgesic efficacy of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) compared to conventional drug therapy and placebo for postoperative pain in endodontics. PubMed, PubMed Central, Scopus, LILACS, SciELO, Virtual Health Library, Embase and Open Gray were searched. Clinical trials assessing pain intensity were included. Risk of bias was assessed using the RoB 2.0 tool. Nine studies were included, five classified as having low risk of bias. Eight studies demonstrated that LLLT was more effective in modulating postoperative pain compared to control interventions. Meta-analysis of five studies (I<sup>2</sup> = 31%) showed statistically significant pain reduction with LLLT in comparison with placebo after 1 day (VAS mean difference = -0.56; 95% CI = [-0.74 to -0.38]; p < 0.001). LLLT may improve postoperative pain control after endodontic treatment. Additional high-quality studies are necessary to strengthen the evidence base for LLLT's analgesic efficacy in endodontic applications.
Authors
- Maximiliano Schünke Gomes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0394-5400)
- Gabriela Bonacina (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7459-724X)
- Daiana Elisabeth Böttcher (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6158-8384)
- Rafael Chies Hartmann (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3087-6922)
Institutions
- Universidade Feevale (BR)
- Faculdade de Desenvolvimento do Rio Grande do Sul (BR)
- Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (BR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Australian Endodontic Journal
- Published
- 2026-01-06
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1111/aej.70052
- Primary Topic
- Laser Applications in Dentistry and Medicine
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior