Light emitting diode mediated photobiomodulation therapy improves orthodontic tooth movement and miniscrew stability: A randomized controlled clinical trial.

Background And Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of light-emitting diode-mediated-photobiomodulation therapy (LPT) on the stability of miniscrews, rate of orthodontic tooth movement, and interleukin-1β levels in gingival and peri-implant crevicular fluid.

Materials And Methods: This study was a double blind, randomized placebo/control matched pairs clinical trial to test the efficacy of LPT. This split-mouth design study consisted of 20 patients (13 girls, 7 boys). The eligibility criteria included patients who had extraction of maxillary first premolars. Mini-screws were placed between maxillary first molars and second premolars on both sides as anchorage units. LPT was applied with an energy density of 20 mW/cm over a period of 21 successive days (20 minutes per day) over the movement of canine teeth on the test side and using a pseudo application on the placebo side. The main outcome of this study was to assess effect of LPT on the rate of orthodontic tooth movement. The secondary outcomes were measuring stability of miniscrews and interleukin-1β levels in gingival and peri-implant crevicular fluid after LPT. Randomization was accomplished with random LPT application side selection by coin toss. Measurements were made by blinding clinicians. Blinding of the patients was achieved using the same LPT device on both sides but irradiating only one side. For statistical comparison, paired samples t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used at P < 0.05 level.

Results: Miniscrew stability was similar between control and LPT groups at baseline (T0) and the 1st month (T1). However, miniscrew stability was significantly increased in the LPT group in 2nd (T2) and 3rd (T3) months. Comparison of tooth movement during three different time intervals (T1-T0, T2-T1, and T3-T2) revealed that statistically significantly increased in every time intervals after LPT. No statistically significant change was detected in the IL-1β levels between groups.

Conclusion: LPT had the potential of accelerating orthodontic tooth movement and had a positive effect on miniscrew stability. Lasers Surg. Med. 48:936-943, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.