A few months back, we looked at some of the ways that photobiomodulation (PBM) can support the body’s natural healing processes. The idea is a simple and elegant one: Rather than forcing a result, the aim is to create the conditions in which the body can do what it was designed to do.
PBM – also known as low-level laser therapy (LLLT) – is one way to gently stimulate that natural healing.
In practice, the effects show up in concrete ways – patients reporting less lingering soreness after an extraction, say, or our often seeing faster healing after implant surgery. In cases involving more complex healing – such as Chronic Ischemic Medullary Disease of the Jawbone (CIMDJ) or Covered Socket Residuum (CSR), popularly known as “cavitations” – the goal is the same: support the body’s internal environment so repair can happen as efficiently as possible.
Of course, it’s one thing to talk about individual experiences. What happens if you take a step back and look at the effects across a much larger pool of patients?
That’s actually the focus of a recent systematic review and meta-analysis, which looked at 18 randomized controlled trials involving more than 750 patients. It allowed researchers to see patterns that aren’t always obvious if you’re looking at just a case here and just a case there.
For instance, with respect to wound healing, nearly all of the studies reported faster tissue regeneration when LLLT was used. In some cases, that appeared as better wound closure and smaller non-healed areas within the first week of treatment.. Other studies noted faster healing of gum tissues and less inflammation in extraction sites treated with specific wavelengths of light.
Reduced pain was another trend. Across the trials, when photobiomodulation was used, post-op pain was down by roughly 30% to 55% in the first 3 to 7 days after surgery. In many cases, this was enough to noticeably ease patients’ early recovery period. In some cases, it translated to less reliance on pain medications.
Other changes were apparent at the biological level. Studies that looked at inflammatory markers found fewer signals associated with inflammation, along with more factors linked to blood vessel formation and tissue repair. Some studies also reported lower rates of complications such as infection or delayed healing when PBM was used.
But the review also acknowledged that the results of low-level laser therapy can vary depending on how it is applied. Things like wavelength (which affects how deeply the light penetrates) and energy (how much light is delivered to the tissue) were found to play a role. This helps explain why the results across studies aren’t identical but still appear to trend in specific directions.
Researchers are also beginning to better understand how photobiomodulation can achieve the reported effects:
Traditional postoperative care often relies heavily on pharmacological agents such as NSAIDs, corticosteroids, and opioids, which carry well-documented adverse effects. LLLT provides an alternative mechanism of action, exerting its effects through photobiomodulation rather than systemic pharmacokinetics. This review confirms that LLLT activates cytochrome c oxidase within the mitochondrial respiratory chain, increasing ATP production and stimulating tissue regeneration through upregulation of fibroblast activity, collagen synthesis, and angiogenesis. These molecular mechanisms support the observed clinical improvements in epithelialization and tissue remodeling.
To put that much more simply, the light interacts directly with the cells involved in healing. It helps them produce more energy, which supports the body’s repair processes – building new tissue, improving local circulation, and helping things come back together more efficiently.
For patients, that often translates into less discomfort after treatment and a recovery process that feels a little easier as healing happens.
And for many, that’s part of a larger shift in how they think about their dental care. It’s a shift from treating problems in isolation to treating them in a way that works with the body supporting their healing while minimizing unnecessary stress and strain along the way.
