Postoperative pain, edema, and trismus are frequent complications following impacted mandibular third molar surgery. This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effects of a single-session extraoral dual-wavelength photobiomodulation (PBM) (650+904 nm) applied immediately after extraction. The study aimed to assess the impact of this therapy on postoperative pain, edema, trismus, and quality of life (QoL) on days 2 and 7.
This prospective, parallel-group randomized controlled clinical trial was designed to evaluate the effects of a single-session extraoral photobiomodulation (PBM) application on postoperative outcomes following the surgical extraction of impacted mandibular third molars. The study included 70 patients (age range: 17-25 years) with asymptomatic mesioangular impacted mandibular third molars (Pell-Gregory Class IB). Participants were randomly assigned to either a PBM group (n=35) or a control group (n=35). All surgical procedures were performed by a single surgeon using a standardized technique. Following the surgery, the PBM group received a single session of extraoral therapy using a dual-wavelength GaAlAs laser (650 nm + 904 nm) for 10 minutes, with a total energy of 270 J. The probe was held in stationary contact over the mandibular angle-ramus region. The control group received no laser application. Postoperative pain was evaluated using a 100-mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS) on days 2 and 7. Secondary outcomes, including facial edema and trismus, were measured at baseline, day 2, and day 7 post-surgery. Additionally, Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) was assessed using a 100-mm VAS scale at the specified time points.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
70
Extraoral PBM (GRR Laser) applied for 10 minutes, delivering a total energy of 270 J (fluence: 2.73 J/cm² and irradiance: 4.54 mW/cm²).
Necmettin Erbakan University Faculty of Dentistry
Konya, Meram, Turkey (Türkiye)
Postoperative Pain
Postoperative pain assessed using a 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS; 0 = no pain, 100 = worst imaginable pain)
Time frame: Postoperative Day 2, and Postoperative Day 7.
Postoperative Edema
Facial edema quantified by the sum of distances between three anatomical reference points: tragus to labial commissure, gonion to lateral canthus, and gonion to labial commissure. Total facial distance measured in mm
Time frame: Preoperatively (baseline), Postoperative Day 2, and Postoperative Day 7.
Trismus
Assessed by measuring the maximum interincisal distance (MID) between the incisal edges of the maxillary and mandibular central incisors during maximum active mouth opening.Maximum interincisal opening measured in mm using a digital caliper.
Time frame: Preoperatively (baseline), Postoperative Day 2, and Postoperative Day 7.
Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL)
Quality of life was assessed using a 100-mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS), where 0 represents the worst quality of life and 100 represents normal quality of life. Higher scores indicate a better quality of life
Time frame: Postoperative Day 2 and Postoperative Day 7.
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