The Clinical Evaluation of the Effects of Low-Level Laser Therapy on the Donor and Recipient Sites of the Free Gingival Graft: A Case Series

Abstract

Introduction: Free gingival grafting is among the most foreseeing procedures for increasing the zone of keratinized attached gingiva and enhancing soft tissue around the teeth and dental implants. Nowadays low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is a promising approach in providing patients with more pleasing results in terms of esthetics and comfort. This study aims to investigate the effects of LLLT on gingival recessions treated with free gingival graft (FGG). Methods: This case series was conducted on 12 individuals requiring a bilateral gingival graft in the mandibular region. There was a 30-day interval between the two operations. The test side was selected randomly and irradiated by a low-level laser (LLL) just before surgery. The patients did not know which side was irradiated. LLLT was applied to the donors’ as well as recipients’ site immediately after the operation and 48 hours later. The patients were instructed to record their post-operative pain in a visual analogue scale (VAS) 3 and 24 hours and 7 days after the surgical procedure. The clinical photographs were taken immediately and 30 days after surgical treatment were graded by three experienced periodontists for color matching to adjacent tissues. Results: Ten individuals could finish the study. The test group presented significantly better shade matching and wound healing at the palatal donor site on days 7, 14 and 21. There was a significant reduction in post-operative pain after 24 hours (P=0.007). No statistically significant difference was found between both groups in terms of clinical periodontal indices. Conclusion: LLLT could reduce post-operative pain 24 hours after surgical treatment. Furthermore, the application of LLLT could improve the donors’ site healing and the recipients’ site color matching.