Efficacy of Laser Therapy in Reducing Swelling and Pain Following Alveolar Bone Grafting: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PURPOSE: This randomized controlled trial aimed to explore the efficacy of laser therapy in reducing swelling and pain in female patients after alveolar bone grafting in the hope of providing a new method for the treatment of patients with swelling after alveolar bone grafting. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From August 2019 to June 2020, 82 female patients with soft tissue swelling after alveolar bone grafting in our hospital were enrolled in this prospective blinded randomized controlled trial. The patients were randomized divided into the study group (receiving laser therapy) and the control group (receiving routine postoperative intervention). Swelling and pain were evaluated at postoperative day (POD) 1, 3, and 5, and the quality-of-life at POD 1 and 5. The healing success rate and postoperative satisfaction were evaluated at 3 months postoperatively. RESULTS: The pain severity in the study group was lower than that in the control group at POD 3 and 5 (P<.05). The study group had significantly higher scores of general health, vitality, bodily pain, social functioning, physical functioning, role-physical, role-emotional, and mental health than the control group at POD 5 (P<.05). In addition, the scores of general health, vitality, bodily pain, social functioning, physical functioning, role-physical, role-emotional, and mental health of the 2 groups were higher at POD 5 versus POD 1 (P<.05). The study group had a significantly higher healing success rate and postoperative satisfaction rate than the control group at 3 months postoperatively (P<.05). CONCLUSIONS: Laser therapy can effectively reduce swelling and pain and improve the quality-of-life of female patients after alveolar bone grafting.