Luminance RED for Canker Sores

Overview

Canker sores, also called aphthous ulcers, are small, shallow lesions that develop on the soft tissues in your mouth or at the base of your gums. Unlike cold sores, canker sores don't occur on the surface of your lips and they aren't contagious. They can be painful, however, and can make eating and talking difficult. Recurrent aphthous ulcer stomatitis (RAS) is characterized by recurrent bouts of solitary or multiple shallow painful ulcers, at intervals of a few months to a few days in patients who are otherwise well. Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) sometimes known as Low Level Light Therapy or Photobiomodulation (PBM) is a low-intensity light therapy. The effect is photochemical not thermal. The light triggers biochemical changes within cells and can be compared to the process of photosynthesis in plants, where the photons are absorbed by cellular photoreceptors, which trigger chemical changes. The main medical usage of LLLT is for pain and inflammation reduction, promoting the regeneration of different tissues and preventing damage to tissues. With the use of the appropriate power (from 5 to 200mW) and wavelength (600-900nm), the therapy brings anti-inflammatory and analgesic results aiding in wound healing. The mechanism of action of LLLT may be very beneficial in the treatment of oral erosions and ulcers, however, very few studies have been performed on the treatment of RAS with LLLT. There are few reports on accelerated healing in erosive mucocutaneous disorders and they are often presented as a case series rather than large randomized clinical trials. The effects on skin wound healing and periodontal inflammation management with laser biostimulation suggest that this treatment modality may also be useful for oral erosive conditions. This clinical trial aims to evaluate the effect of the Luminance RED device on the management of RAS.

Conditions