Superpulsed laser therapy on healing process after tooth extraction in patients waiting for liver transplantation

Alveolar healing following tooth extraction is a complex repair process involving different tissues, including epithelium and bone. This research aimed to study the effect of laser therapy on alveolar healing process in patients waiting for liver transplantation, evaluating some inflammation, osteogenesis and clinical parameters. Twelve patients with hepatic failure waiting for liver transplantation, with indications to bilateral extraction, entered the split-mouth study. One post-extractive defect was treated with laser while the other was left without treatment. Specimens of soft tissues were removed from around the tooth before extraction and after 7 days. Superpulsed laser irradiation prevented IL-1β increase and induced IL-6, IL-10 and collagen III increase at 7 days in comparison with their level before extraction, whereas the other parameters were unmodified. Moreover, the epithelial regeneration evidenced a positive result of laser therapy, and the patients reported a lower pain in the site treated with laser. In conclusions, laser therapy appears to be a treatment of choice for patients, providing clinical efficacy, being safe, well tolerated and able to prevent inflammation.