Efficacy of Low-Level Laser Therapy in Reducing Pain in the Initial Stages of Orthodontic Treatment.

Purpose: There is no consensus about the mechanism and efficacy in alleviating pain of the lower-level laser therapy (LLLT) during orthodontic treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the LLLT effectiveness clinically in reducing pain caused by orthodontic movement that occurs in the early stages of treatment. Methods: The sample consisted of 54 patients in need of orthodontic treatment divided into two groups. A 28 experimental patients group (initial mean age: 26.84 years old) was undergone gallium-aluminum-arsenide infrared laser application on 12 points for each tooth immediately after the installation of the first alignment archwire, and a 26 patients control group (initial mean age: 29.13 years old) was undergone to no pain control intervention at all. Pain intensity was measured by using a visual analog scale, which was marked pain level (mm) reported in 06, 24, 48, and 72 hours. The perception of pain (beginning, peak, decline, and absence) was evaluated by filling up a questionnaire. To compare the intensity and perception of pain between groups, a nonparametric Mann-Whitney has been performed. Results: The experimental group showed levels (mm) at 6 (p < 0.001), 24 (p=0.004), and 48 hours (p=0.007) and perception of pain (hours) in the peak (p=0.026), decline (p=0.025), and absence (p=0.008) significantly lower compared to the group control. Conclusion: Low-level laser therapy is effective in reducing pain severity caused by orthodontic forces activation, and it promotes the analgesic action lasting effect during the most painful feeling time.

The influence of 3x3 bonded retainer on anterior crowding relapse in mandibular incisor extraction cases.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the 3x3 bonded retainer influence on the mandibular anterior crowding in cases treated with mandibular incisor extraction. METHODS: The sample comprised pretreatment, posttreatment and follow-up orthodontic records of 16 subjects (10 females and 6 males) with Class I malocclusion treated with extraction of a single mandibular incisor. The mean ages (± SD) at pretreatment, posttreatment and follow-up evaluation were 23.45 ± 9.14 years, 25.50 ± 8.95 years and 30.11 ± 8.59 years, respectively. The mean (± SD) treatment time and posttreatment evaluation time were 2.05 ± 0.45 years and 4.60 ± 1.85 years , respectively. Little irregularity index and interdental widths were evaluated using dental casts. The sample was divided into two subgroups, according to the presence of the 3x3 bonded retainer at follow-up. RESULTS: The subgroup without 3x3 bonded retainer presented a greater relapse at the follow-up, when compared to 3x3 bonded retainer subgroup. CONCLUSION: There was a significant relapse in cases treated with mandibular incisor extraction at follow-up. The subgroup without 3x3 bonded retainer showed a significant relapse at the follow-up when compared to the retainer group.